


What Will the Future Hold: Family

by fems



Series: Future Series [3]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: AU, Angst, Drama, Established Relationship, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Family, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-11
Updated: 2010-06-11
Packaged: 2017-11-12 01:43:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 129,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/485265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fems/pseuds/fems
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Short sequel that shows a bit of what happened after "What Will the Future Hold?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Intro

**Author's Note:**

> I would advise you to read the prequel first, otherwise it probably won't make much sense.

"Jack," Sam drawled out his name and tried scowling at him.

He chuckled at her facial expression; it was obvious she was trying to be serious, but he could see the corners her mouth quirk up. "What?" he asked in his most innocent tone, forcing himself to keep his eyes on her face.

She squinted at him. "Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"Looking at me like that," Sam mumbled, ducking her head to hide the blush creeping up.

"I thought you liked it when I was looking at you like  _that_ ," he waggled his eyebrows and couldn't contain his smug smirk as he got up from the bed.

"Not now," she replied through gritted teeth.

"It's not my fault,  _Samantha_ ," Jack whispered in her ear as he wound his arms around her from behind and pulled her back against his chest.

"Yes it is," she tried scolding him, but was having a hard time when she was enjoying the embrace.

"No it isn't," he insisted, nuzzling her neck. "You shouldn't dress so provocatively…"

"I'm not-"

Jack smirked and pulled on the towel wrapped around her body, dropping it to pool around her bare feet. "Dressed, that's right. Very good, Colonel."

"Jack!" Sam yelped, trying to fend off his roaming hands, but unable to contain a giggle. "I can't…"

"Yes, you can," he murmured in her ear, feeling her resolve break as he cupped her breasts in his hands. He still had a hard time believing she was finally his to touch, to hold and make love to, and knew he'd never get enough of it. She mumbled something unintelligible when he kneaded the soft mounds and flicked her hard nipples with his thumbs, enjoying the softness of her silky skin.

"No," she shook her head slowly, trying to remember what she wanted to say. "You can't-"

"Oh," Jack chuckled, "I most definitely can," he replied as his hands moved down to her waist and pulled her against his erection.

"Plane," Sam mumbled, as he rubbed himself against her ass in slow, erotic movements, her arousal flaring at the intimate contact. "Jack," she gasped when he sucked on the sensitive skin of her neck, "the plane."

"You can reschedule," he growled against her throat, one of his hands exploring the soft expanse of her stomach while the other remained on her hip.

She grabbed his wandering hand to still it when his calloused fingertips touched the small triangle of blonde curls between her legs. "No, I can't," she pulled his hand away and quickly took a step forward, breaking the contact between them before she'd get lost in their passion again. "They're expecting me," Sam elaborated as she turned around to face him. "Mark is expecting me and he won't be happy if I don't get there in time," she shrugged. "He's a bit of a control-freak."

"Must be a genetic thing," Jack remarked as his eyes roamed her beautiful body as she was standing there, naked in front of him with her hands on her hips. Probably to emphasize her point, he mused, but it was doing something completely different to him. "Oh, c'mon, Carter, you're killing me here."

Laughing, Sam shook her head and walked over to him and pressed a quick kiss on the lips. "You're such a guy," she replied and turned back to the task at hand; packing her suitcase.

"Sam," he whined, slightly frustrated that she could walk away that easily. "I'm sure your brother would understand if you'd explain."

"What?" She turned, eyes wide, to face him. "I don't think Mark would take it very well if I told him I had to reschedule my flight because my  _lover_ , whose existence he doesn't even know about yet, wanted to have sex, again."

"Fiancé," Jack commented, frowning at her choice of words.

She shrugged and placed the last item of clothing in the case and closed it. "Look Jack," Sam sighed and plopped down at the bed. "It's going to take a lot for Mark to understand that I've moved on after Pete, not to mention with you and that we're getting married so soon."

"I was thinking of it being Christmas," he replied as he sat next to her on the bed and handed her the underwear she had placed there.

"What?"

He shrugged. "That you were late because it was Christmas, it's usually pretty hectic on the airport around the holidays."

"Oh," she blushed at misinterpreting his earlier words and grabbed the lingerie he offered.

"Now get dressed before I throw you on the bed and take you, plane or no plane," he grinned evilly as he got up. "I'll be in the shower testing my personal hypothesis of whether cold water actually relaxes certain muscles…"

Sam giggled at his muttering and quickly got dressed, before she would change her mind and join him.

* * *

Scanning the crowd through her sunglasses looking for her brother, Sam impatiently strode towards the central meeting area carrying her suitcase. Jack was right; the airport  _was_  filled with idiots on Christmas Day! Huffing her annoyance, she glanced at her watch once again. It was snowing outside, like it had when she left Washington DC, so perhaps Mark was delayed due to the weather and traffic…

It hadn't been that long ago that she had returned from Atlantis, only a little over two weeks ago when she visited Mark, but he had insisted she'd come by for Christmas. She didn't want to, she wanted to spend the holidays with Jack and the kids, hell even Ilse and her family, but Mark had explained to her that he didn't want her to be alone with Christmas now that she was back from abroad and divorcing Pete. She'd nearly bitten her tongue as she almost blurted out that she was happy with Jack and tried to convince her little brother that he didn't have to put up with her. Of course, he had persisted, probably thinking she didn't want to bother him.

She knew him better than he thought, even the years they had been estranged hadn't changed him much with the exception of having a family and an even more outspoken opinion about the AF, and knew that there was no way she could convince him without telling him the truth. The only problem with the truth was that Sam wasn't sure Mark could handle it, especially not if she told him by phone. Instead, she had talked to Jack and they'd agreed she would go visit her brother on Christmas Day and get back the 29th, her birthday. The kids had been upset that she was leaving but they'd cheered up a bit when they realized that they got to open their presents in the morning already! She chuckled to herself when she remembered their happy faces while unwrapping presents and how they had made her promise to be back soon.

"Sam?"

"Mark!" She dropped her suitcase and hugged him. "I was lost in thought, sorry."

"It's okay," he grinned, squeezing her arm before stepping back.

"Laura, it's good seeing you again," Sam greeted her sister-in-law.

Nodding, Laura stepped forwards and gave her a quick hug. "You too, Sam."

"Where are the kids?" She asked, peering around her brother and his wife.

Leaning down, Mark grabbed her suitcase and shrugged. "At home, we figured we could leave them alone for a bit. After all, Ryan is already sixteen and Amy is just two years younger, they can manage."

Sam agreed but was surprised Mark did too, considering how he'd always been saying that their father left them alone too soon and often after their mother had died. Not wanting to remind him, she kept her mouth shut and followed them to the car, all the while trying to come up with a way to tell them about Jack and the huge changes that were happening in her life.

"How was your flight, Sam?"

Startled, she looked up to see Mark's questioning eyes directed at her. "Ah, it was fine."

"Are you hungry? Tired?"

"I'm fine, Laura," she rolled her eyes at her brother, who snickered. She stepped in the car and watched the scenery, enjoying the quiet. Every now and then Mark would glance at her via the rearview mirror or Laura would look over her shoulder, but apparently they both understood she didn't feel like talking much at the moment. Grabbing her cell phone, Sam quickly turned it on again and texted Jack that she had arrived in San Diego and was on her way to Mark's place.

Shifting in the passenger seat, Laura turned around to look at Sam. "I already made the bed in the guest room, so if you want you can rest a bit. I'm sure you could use it after traveling for five hours."

"We'll see," Sam mumbled, frowning. "I doubt I can get any sleep now. Besides, I don't want to ruin Christmas Day by sleeping through it."

"Amy was happy to hear you were staying for a few days," Laura continued, dismissing her argument with a wave of her hand. "We've already told Ryan that he isn't allowed to spend time on his computer, because it's Christmas and that is for family, right, Sam?"

"Yeah," she nodded, thinking about the family she had left behind in Washington DC. It would just be for four days, she kept telling herself. Jack had said he understood she had to go spend time with her family, especially because he wanted her to tell her brother about them. Still, she didn't want to leave them. They had only returned from their little trip to the cabin last week and she was still getting used to spending time with them, at least until her reassignment was finalized. She knew it was ridiculous, but she was already missing Jack and the children…

"I'm really happy you decided to come over, Sam," Mark chimed in, trying to lock gazes with her via the rearview mirror. "It's important to be around those you love and we hardly ever see each other."

Shaking her head, Sam protested. "Mark, we just saw each other a few weeks ago!"

"Yes,  _after_  you dropped off the face of the Earth for two years," he replied, unable to keep some of his frustrations – over her not telling him that she was leaving or where she had been – to himself.

"I already explained that…"

"I know, I know," he glanced at her, before looking back to the road.

* * *

"Daddy?"

"Yes, honey?"

Maddy walked into the bedroom and crawled on the bed, next to his suitcase. "Ready."

"Good," Jack smiled at her as he rearranged some of the items in his case. "I'm almost done too, what about your siblings?"

"Ready."

Closing his case, Jack held out his hand to his daughter. "C'mon, let's grab your things."

Maddy eagerly jumped off the bed and grabbed his hand, while he held the suitcase in the other. "Are we going to see Daniel and Teal'c?"

"No, they couldn't make it," he shook his head as he placed his suitcase near the stairs and walked into Nathan's room. "All done, buddy?"

"Yeah," he grinned, stepping aside to show his duffle bag. "Milou too."

"Great," Jack grabbed his bag before going into the girls' room, taking their bags as well. "Why don't you go downstairs and grab some juice for in the car," he suggested as he took their bags to the car.

When he got back into the house all three children were looking at him expectantly.

"Okay, bathroom first, then we'll get in the car." He herded the kids to the bathroom.

"Daddy," Milou spoke up, a small frown on her forehead. "How long until we get there?"

"We'll go to the Pentagon first," Jack explained, "then we'll beam to London and take a flight there." The President had insisted on him getting beaming technology at his house in the Netherlands, but so far it hadn't been installed yet. Something he planned on having done the day after tomorrow, just in time before Sam would come over. The IOA representatives were getting beaming technology at their offices as well, to make it easier to attend meetings and such. London was one of the first to have it properly installed, something Jack was going to use for his benefit, considering it would be less than an hour to Holland from there.

"Okay."

Jack made sure they were all strapped in properly in their seats once they were done and locked the house, before getting in the car as well. Sam was still in the air, he thought as he glanced at the time on his dashboard. She would land soon though, probably before they made it to London. He wasn't sure how her brother was going to react to the news, nor did he know when  _exactly_  in the next four days she was going to tell him. Knowing his lovely fiancée and the way she dealt with personal feelings, he doubted she would tell him right away. After all, Sam had a habit of evading feelings and everything that came with it, which would probably also be the case with her brother out of fear that they would have another fall out. Jack knew she didn't want that after it had taken the Carters years to make up and he wouldn't want her to lose her brother again… So, she would probably tell him the morning she was leaving.


	2. Dinner

Tapping her foot impatiently on the floor, the fingers of one hand involuntarily tapping along in sync on the table, Ilse looked around from her seat. She was waiting for Jack and the kids, they were supposed to beam over from DC and they'd go to the airport together to fly to the Netherlands. Her husband, Matt, was already there at their – her – apartment with the kids for over a week but she had been forced to stay behind due to her work. She'd gone to the Christmas party last night and although she would have rather been with her family, she had enjoyed herself. It wasn't like they did anything special on Christmas Eve, even if Matt preferred to take her either out to dinner or have a romantic dinner at home. She figured it was an American thing, she'd been raised spending the first day of Christmas – the 25th – with her mother's side of the family, which included presents in the evening and the second day she'd spent with her father's side of the family. They had never really celebrated Christmas Eve, it was usually the evening they would spend with friends and family members that were unavailable the next two days. But Matt liked spending it with her so she had felt crappy last night and guilty at the same time because she had enjoyed herself without him and their children.

She looked up when she heard the military footfall joined by quick, small almost skipping footsteps and saw Jack coming towards her, holding Maddy in his arms and Milou and Nathan trying to keep up with him at his sides. Smiling, she got up and waved them over. "Hi!"

"Tante Ilse!" Milou ran up to her aunt before throwing herself at her.

Catching her niece, Ilse smiled and hugged her tightly. "I missed you too, sweetie." Slowly releasing the girl, she held out her arms and within seconds it was filled with a dark blonde boy. "Hey Nate," she chuckled, pressing a kiss on his hair before letting go.

"You're coming with us?" Nathan asked hopeful as he let his head fall back to look up at her.

"I was planning on it," she replied, exchanging glances with Jack.

Jack smiled at her and placed Maddy on her own two feet, watching as she walked over to Ilse to greet her. "Didn't have time to tell them yet," he replied to her remark, shrugging. "C'mere," he opened his arms and hugged her, kissing her cheek. "Merry Christmas."

"Thanks, merry Christmas to you too! Sam couldn't make it?" Ilse asked, slightly disappointed as she'd been hoping to get to know the other woman better.

"Nah," he rolled his eyes, still slightly frustrated over the fact that she had to go see Mark. "Her brother invited her over," seeing her surprised face, he held up his hand. "She hasn't told him yet about… us."

"That you're engaged to get married?" She inquired, smiling slightly when he nodded. "Ah, and she had to explain in person, I understand. Too bad it had to be now, though."

"You're telling me," he huffed, grabbing Maddy and Milou's hands reaching for his. "She left around noon. Just got a text that she was in San Diego."

"Good, good," Ilse nodded, ruffling Nathan's hair. "Shall we make our way to the airport?"

"Yeah," Nate responded, looking from his father to his aunt and pulling on her arm to get moving. He didn't like it much in London and wanted to get in the plane, he loved flying!

"Uncle Matt is at the apartment," she informed them as they got going. "So we can take the train from the airport, it's only a few minutes and we can walk from the station."

"Great," Jack replied as he followed her lead with one of his daughters on each side, holding their gloved hands. "What about dinner?"

"If everything is going according to plan," she scrunched up her nose for a minute and glanced at him over her shoulder, "Matt should be working his ass off in the kitchen right now. Since this morning, actually." Thinking about it made her chuckle softly again, feeling slightly evil for making him work so hard on Christmas Day but he was a good – excellent really – cook and had offered to make the family meal himself. Besides, he hardly ever made dinner, she was usually the one to do the cooking.

* * *

Sam placed her suitcase at the low dresser and within minutes she'd unpacked it and admired her two dresses she hung out. Because of the traveling she had pulled on jeans, a white long sleeve shirt with a bluish cardigan instead of one of her dresses. Now, however, she wanted to dress up because Mark had told her he was taking them out to dinner. Apparently, he wanted to spend his Christmas bonus in an expensive restaurant. She'd tried objecting but of course he wouldn't listen to her and had just told her to go upstairs – after greeting the kids – and relax a bit, after which she had to get dressed up because he had made reservations for them at seven.

Fumbling around in her bag she found her cell phone as well and was tempted to call Jack, just to hear his voice… God, we saw each other just a few hours ago. There's no  _need_  to call him, she silently berated herself. Besides, he was probably at the airport in London by now if he wasn't in the plane already. Taking in a deep breath she glanced around the room, trying to decide what to do next. Mark and Laura had made it clear that they wanted her to relax and preferably rest before coming downstairs and she half expected her brother to drag her back upstairs if she were to show her face downstairs already. Instead, she walked over to her en suite bathroom and filled the tub. She had showered this morning – before Jack had tried to seduce her again – but that didn't mean she couldn't relax in a warm, hot bath.

Once the tub was filled, she threw off her clothes letting them land in a small heap next to the door, before she stepped in and lowered herself in the warm water. Playing with some of the foam, Sam tried to think of a way to tell Mark about her relationship with Jack. Her upcoming wedding with Jack… she was pretty sure her brother would freak out once she told him. They had both been raised Catholic but with her interest in science and the premature death of their mother, Sam had stopped going to church and with everything she had seen and done since joining the Air Force – especially the SGC – she wasn't even sure if there really was such a thing as a God. However, Mark had been the exact opposite; his faith had only gotten stronger and he was still going to church every Sunday, probably even went last night. It had been one of the reasons she was reluctant to tell him about her failed marriage to Pete, not only because he was very good friends with her now-ex-husband but also because he didn't believe in divorces; marriage was supposed to last a lifetime.

She let out a deep breath as she tried to think of a way to tell him, to convince him that Jack was the one she was supposed to marry – it had never been Pete. Okay, maybe tonight during dinner wouldn't be the best time to tell him, especially not because it was Christmas and everything… but when? Tomorrow would still be Christmas so she probably shouldn't tell him then either. Perhaps the day after…

Trying to relax, she lay back completely and took in the vanilla scent of the bubbles, which reminded her of Jack. He loved vanilla, she figured Laura had probably bought it and put it in the guest bathroom, because she didn't think her brother would be so considerate nor did she pick him as someone who enjoyed a bubble bath.  _Hmm, Jack…_

* * *

"Jack," Ilse called out from the living room as she heard his cell phone – which was lying on the coffee table – go off. "Your cell!"

"I'll get it to him," Milou piped up and ran out to find her Dad with his ringing phone clutched in her hand.

"You want to help me set the table, Maddy?"

Looking up from the corner in which she, Nathan and Sebastian were playing with Lego Maddy nodded. "Okay," she placed the blocks back on the sheet on which most of them were lying and got up quickly. The carpet had been warm and thick to her sock clad feet and she almost slipped when she ran over to the kitchen in which Auntie Ilse had disappeared, where there were shiny and slippery tiles on the floor. "Whoa!"

Matt was standing near the furnace when he heard his niece run up to them and caught her just in time before her face met the floor. "Easy there, Maddy," he scolded her gently as he placed her back on her two feet.

"Sorry," she grinned at him, the almost-accident already forgotten. "What can I do?"

Ilse smiled at her eagerness, thankfully the little girl seemed to like helping her out which made it a lot easier on her. "Here, why don't you place the silverware on the table," she pointed towards the drawer.

"Okay," Maddy opened it and grabbed a handful before walking back to the table. The plates had already been placed on the table and she glanced at the silverware in her hands; which were supposed to go where, again?

"Gimme," Jack prompted his daughter as he saw her hesitation and walked up to her. Gently prying the silverware from her hands, he showed her how to place it before sending her back to get more and together they placed the rest on the table, while Ilse brought out the glasses and such.

"Dinner is done," Matt spoke as his head poke out from the kitchen. "Is everyone ready?"

"Come on, boys," Jack directed Nathan and Sebastian, "go wash your hands. You too," he waved towards his daughters. He had just gotten out of the shower and donned his black jeans and dark blue plain dress shirt when Milou had barged into his room holding his cell phone – which he'd answered just in time – before going back to the living room. He watched as the four of them made no objection and they made their way over to the kitchen. Satisfied, he plopped down on one of the chairs at the nicely set table, feeling simply starved.

"I wanna sit next to Auntie Ilse," Milou tried to call shotgun when she saw her siblings and herself were the only ones who had to take a seat and there was only one empty seat next to her.

Maddy was just about to sit there and shot her sister a look. "Fine, I'll sit next to Daddy," she stuck out her tongue and went to sit next to her father. "Hi Daddy!"

"Hey pumpkin," Jack threw an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer so he could press a kiss on her dark auburn curls. "You look pretty tonight," he murmured in her hair as he used his free hand to gesture towards her green satin dress and black tights.

"Thank you," she almost cheered. "Uncle Matt and Auntie Ilse gave it to me."

"We saw them the other day shopping," Ilse grinned bashfully as she jerked her head towards Milou's dress – which was the same only in deep red – and shrugged. "They were so cute I had to buy them and figured you probably forgot to buy them something special for Christmas," she teased him.

"Well," Jack squinted at her, before looking at Milou's beaming face. "They do look pretty, kind of like elves actually." He smiled at both daughters when they seemed to light up at his compliments. Ilse was right; he hated Christmas shopping and hadn't even thought about buying the girls something special for Christmas to wear. They had plenty of dresses they hardly ever wore, so why should he bother? He didn't go out to buy himself new clothes for Christmas either. That's when he glanced at the two boys on the other end of the table, one on each side of Matt. "Got them something too, huh?"

"You have to admit they look very handsome in it," she said, scolding him gently. "I had already picked it out for Bastian when I thought about Nathan."

"The collar is tight," Nathan complained for the umpteenth time since his aunt had dressed him in it, pulling slightly on the collar with his fingers.

"I know," Matt said, glaring at his wife. "She's always forcing me into those clothes too, buddy," he joked as he leaned forward to undo the boy's top button. "Now, let's eat!"

* * *

"I don't know, honey," Mark shook his head to his wife. "There was something off about her, I'm telling you."

"Mark, you're seeing things," Laura told him as she patted his hand. "She's probably just tired, I told you it was a long flight for her, not to mention it's on Christmas Day."

"I know," he replied as he slipped into his jacket. "It's always hectic on the airport on Christmas."

"Yes and your sister isn't invincible."

Trying to tie his tie, Mark was fumbling in front of the mirror. "Are you sure? She certainly looks the part," he half-joked. He had seen her several times over the years and she was always looking good, no matter what was going on in her life – not that she would tell him. But he knew divorcing from Pete couldn't have been easy on her, especially after that phone conversation he'd had with her when she was on base and had told him about the divorce. It was probably for the first time in many,  _many_  years that she had practically yelled at him and lost her precious self-control. Not to mention how good and relaxed she had looked when she got back from her two-year assignment abroad, something which he wouldn't have expected following the news or the experiences he'd had with his father when they were younger. Dad had always been stressed, worry lines showing in his face when he got home and would only relax after a few days when it usually was time to leave again…

"Well, I think it's in the genes," Laura replied as she gave him a kiss and swatted his hands away to tie it herself. "Let me do it."

"Thanks," he chuckled as he let her straighten his tie. "I'll go check on the kids and Sam, see if they are ready for dinner."

"Okay, I just need to find my earrings," she smiled at him as he walked out of the room. They didn't go out for dinner often, because of Mark's long hours and because it was a lot cheaper to cook dinner themselves, especially with an insatiable teenage boy and a picky daughter. Therefore, she wanted to make sure to look good for this special occasion. It was Christmas after all!

* * *

Sam had just finished applying a touch of makeup when she heard a knock on the door. "Come in," she yelled as she quickly placed her dog tags – including the ring Jack had given her – in her bag, considering the dress had a somewhat plunging neckline that wouldn't cover them.

"Ah, hey Sam," Mark greeted her as he peeked into the room. "Wow, you look great."

"Thanks, so do you," she smiled at her little brother.

"I was just wondering if you were almost done," he continued as he stepped into the room.

Sam nodded and reached for her earrings. "Yes, just have to put these in and I'm ready to go."

"Really?"

"Don't act so surprised, you said you had reservations for seven," she chuckled, motioning towards the clock. It was almost 1800 hours and she wasn't sure how far the restaurant was and since she wasn't the type to be late or wanted to rush herself to get ready, she'd decided to get dressed after her mind kept wandering to Jack – and all the things she wanted to do to him – when she was in the tub.

He shrugged and blushed a bit. "I guess I forgot how punctual you are. Laura is almost ready but the kids aren't done yet, something about MTV or whatever," he frowned, recalling the kids hadn't even made an attempt to get dressed and had almost been glued to the TV.

Nodding, Sam completely understood what he meant; how often had she seen Jack and Cassie watching MTV and claiming to simply be fascinated with the horrible programs, not to mention some of the videos? "Well, I'm ready to go," she smiled at him and picked up her handbag. "I'll go see if I can give Amy a hand and make sure she's actually getting dressed and you can do the same with Ryan."

"Thanks Sam," Mark chuckled.


	3. Family

"What was that?" Jack asked mockingly and tickled his daughter as she stretched from her position in his lap and yawned loudly.

Giggling, Milou tried to wriggle out of his grasp. "Nothing, Daddy!"

"You were yawning," Maddy pointed at her sister, sticking out her tongue.

"Looks like someone is getting tired," Matt chimed in, a little relieved. Jack and his kids hadn't had time to adjust to the six-hour difference in time zones but it was getting late for him and his family. He already knew that Sebastian would put up an argument if he had to go to bed while his cousins got to stay up. Of course, there was little harm in letting his son stay up a bit later than usual – it was Christmas after all – but he would probably still wake up early in the morning and be fussy all day!

Walking into the living room after getting her baby girl to bed, Ilse overheard her husband's words. "Who?"

"I'm not!" Milou said at the same time, shaking her head vehemently.

"Can we unwrap the presents?" Nathan asked for the fifth time that evening. He'd been unable to keep his eyes from the huge stack of colorful wrapped presents underneath the tree since they'd gotten here and now his sister threatened to ruin everything by getting them sent to bed already!

Maddy's blue-greenish eyes widened in excitement. "Can we?"

Chuckling at the twins, Jack shook his head in amusement. Not that he didn't want to unwrap the presents! "What do you think?" He asked Ilse and Matt instead.

"Well," Ilse looked at her husband, who nodded and shrugged giving permission, before glancing back at Jack. "I guess it is getting late and you still have to meet up with Jacob, right?"

"Yeah," Jack grimaced.  _Dad_  had called his cell earlier to wish him a merry Christmas and to inform him that a delegation of the Tok'ra High Council had arrived at the SGC to try and mend the Tau'ri/Tok'ra-alliance now that all was well with the galaxy and… something else, but Jack hadn't really been listening. Of course, those snakes had to pick  _Christmas_ of all days to come and visit, but Jacob had sneakily volunteered, knowing that he could spend some long-needed time with his daughter on Earth. Only to find out that she wasn't in Colorado…. Jack had explained that Sam was visiting Mark and his family and had hinted that he wanted to talk to Jacob about Sam – not that there was anything wrong with her – and because the Tok'ra had arrived per teltac, Jacob had told him he'd 'drop by' after the meeting was over. Which would be in an hour or two… Jack had absolutely no idea how he was supposed to tell Jacob that he'd asked Sam to marry him, but he figured he owed him some sort of explanation if not a heads-up.

Looking around for approval, Sebastian made his way over to the tree and grabbed one of the presents and held it up.

"That one is for Nathan," Matt told his son.

Staring at her uncle, Milou frowned. "How did you know?"

"Ah," he looked at his wife for support but she was smiling – laughing – at him for his stupid mistake. "I read the name," he shrugged.

"From all the way over there?" Milou asked, astounded.

"Yeah, your Uncle Matt has really good eyesight," Jack smirked. "Now, let's see what Santa brought you, Nate."

* * *

"Amy and I are ready to go," Sam announced as she and her niece walked into the living room.

"Finally," Ryan rolled his eyes and jumped up from the couch. "We've been sitting here for over half an hour!"

"Twenty minutes," Mark corrected his teenage son in a placating tone. "Besides, you and your sister were the ones that were late."

"Whatever," he shrugged as he grabbed his coat. "Are we leaving? I'm starved."

"Don't be so rude, Ryan," Laura scolded him softly as she donned her own coat, while waiting for the others to join them. "It's Christmas!"

"So," Ryan started as his aunt walked over to him, ignoring his mother. "Why aren't you celebrating Christmas at home, with your team? Dad told me that you're all very close and you said you spend most holidays with… your CO, Daniel and Murray?"

"Yes," Sam nodded and slipped into her coat, before wrapping a scarf around her neck. "We usually do, although it's been a few years now," she shrugged at the boy. "You know, with me being stationed abroad for two years and before that Daniel was gone. Murray has left too, by now. And Janet and Cassie used to be there as well, but Cassie is spending Christmas with her boyfriend's family this year."

"And isn't your CO living in Washington, nowadays?" Mark asked, remembering Pete telling him something like that at the engagement party.

Clearing her throat, Sam squinted at him. Was he just being polite or…? "Yes, General O'Neill is working at the Pentagon, but he lives in Europe a few months a year as well," she replied curtly and opened the door, ready to get to the restaurant and stop her family from digging into her private life.

"Really? That's so cool, I wanna go to Europe some day," Ryan grinned as he followed her out to the car.

Mark quickly caught up with them, opened the car and waited for everyone to get in. "I thought generals are supposed to be busy all the time, how can he afford to go to Europe a few  _months_  a year? Dad hardly had the time to come visit us, still doesn't, by the way."

"Honey," Laura protested as she climbed into the passenger seat. "You know your father is busy with important matters!"

"I know," he grumbled, "but-"

"Laura is right, Mark," Sam added from the backseat. "He's extremely busy, I haven't spoken to him in quite some time."

"At least you know  _how_  to contact him," he huffed.

Sam cringed at his words, something that didn't go unnoticed by her niece and nephew sitting next to her. "I know how frustrating it can be, Mark," she tried again, remembering how many times she had tried to contact her father after the Tau'ri/Tok'ra-alliance fell and couldn't get a hold of him. "But it's-"

"Classified, I know," Mark replied through gritted teeth.

"Come on, Dad," Ryan protested. "I thought we weren't supposed to argue," he rolled his eyes.

Amy giggled at her brother's remark and poked her aunt in the side with her elbow. "Too bad Grandpa can't be here, with it being Christmas and all… but I'm happy you're here."

Sam smiled at her and patted her knee, knowing the young teenager wouldn't appreciate a hug – which would be awkward with their seatbelts on – but unable to tell her that she was happy to be there too. She liked spending time with them, even if Mark would bitch about their father, the AF and her job every now and then, but she was missing Jack and the kids more than she had expected. She wanted to spend Christmas with them and instead she was with her brother and his family, trying to come up with a way to tell them about her upcoming wedding. "Let's talk about something else…."

"Okay," Mark nodded, looking at her via the rearview mirror before looking back at the road and stopping in front of the traffic light, the restaurant only five minutes away. They'd be there right on time!

"What were we talking about, again?" Laura asked, smiling shyly. She knew her husband only reacted like that when they were talking about his father because he loved him, wanted his approval and was scared that he'd lose his father, but it was quite embarrassing whenever he would blow up. It usually happened when his sister, Sam, was visiting, but she also knew Mark really wanted to spend more time with his sister – and his father – and try to make up for lost time. Still, she didn't like it when Mark lost his temper.

"Ah, Aunt Sam was telling us about her team," Ryan supplied.

"No-"

"That's right, you were about to explain why your CO is able to travel to Europe for a few months," Mark said at the same time as his sister tried to object. He nodded at his son before holding Sam's gaze via the rearview mirror.

Sam groaned softly, not wanting to talk about Jack. Not right now, because if Mark kept pushing her she was sure she would blurt out the truth in the heat of the moment and she knew that wouldn't be very tactful, which would have only worsen the situation. "It's work-related," she explained.

"Right," Mark rolled his eyes at her and pulled over at the restaurant.

"It is," she insisted. "He has to work with a lot of people over there and it's easier for him to spend his time there than to sit in DC the entire time having videoconferences at odd hours because of the different time zones," Sam added as they got out of the car. At Mark's skeptical expression, she rolled her eyes. "Plus his children are half-European," she offered.

Handing his keys to the valet, Mark's head snapped up. "He has kids? Pete never told me that."

"Yes," she said slowly, wondering why he was so surprised by that. Okay, so she may have been shocked when she found out, but her brother only met the man once! "Why would Pete tell you that?"

"I don't know," he shrugged, taking Laura's hand. "Let's get inside, I'm hungry."

"Me too, I'm starved," Ryan chimed in. "I could eat a horse!"

* * *

Pressing a kiss on Milou's forehead, Jack straightened and pulled the covers over the sleeping forms of his kids. The apartment was large enough for a small family, but it certainly wasn't built for three adults, four youngsters and an infant! Luckily, the kids didn't mind sharing a queen sized bed in one of the spare rooms. Once Ilse had gotten pregnant with Simone she had transformed her study into a nursery, because she didn't want to convert the two guestrooms knowing that Jack and the kids would need the room if they came over, as well as Matt's brother and sister-in-law with their daughter. She had claimed she didn't really  _need_  a study anyway and that she usually didn't work at home anymore because she had finally learned to delegate properly and spent most of her time in their house in London, anyway.

Jack cast a last look at the sleeping faces of the children, before he turned and closed the door behind him, joining Ilse in the living room. "Where's Matt?"

"Reading a story to Sebastian," she smiled at him as she collected the last of the gift wrappings to throw them away. "I can't believe he's not asleep yet, normally he'd be sleeping already for a few hours! And now he's hardly even tired, while Milou and the twins were sound asleep already and their internal clock is six hours behind!"

"Probably from all the excitement," he shrugged, gesturing towards the Christmas tree and the now almost-empty place that once held the presents. "It was sweet of you to get something for Sam, too."

"Well," Ilse grinned at him, poking him in the ribs, "she's family now. You'll take it with you when you leave tomorrow and you can give it to her when she gets back from visiting her brother."

"You won't be dropping by for her birthday?"

She frowned as she walked over to the kitchen to throw the wrappings away. "When is her birthday?"

"The 29th, the day she gets back from San Diego."

"Oh," Ilse nodded, thinking. "Well, I wouldn't want to impose."

"Like that ever stopped you," Jack smirked, plopping down on the couch.

"True," she giggled and joined him, pulling up her legs to sit cross-legged on the couch, looking at his profile. "But I kind of assumed we'd be dropping by around New Year, like we always do," she cocked her head to the side.

Nodding, Jack turned to her. "Yes…?"

"Well, it would be a bit much, don't you think?"

Jack gasped mockingly. "I'm hurt," he placed his hand on his heart, but ruined the effect by winking at her.

"Come on, you're leaving tomorrow. That means we'd see each other three days later, on Sam's birthday – the same day she finally gets back from visiting her brother. I'm sure she has other plans than entertaining us," she poked him in the side. "You know," Ilse waggled her eyebrows suggestively at him. "After all, the divorce has been finalized already and she's been missing out on spending Christmas with you."

"Well-"

"And then we'd be dropping by  _again_  three days later," she rolled her eyes as she interrupted him. "What if we can't get along?"

Frowning, Jack looked at her. "I'm sure you and Sam will get along, don't worry about that," he made a dismissive wave with his hand.

"I'm sure we will too, but we hardly know each other, Jack. Granted, I know a whole lot more about her than she does about me, but still… you still have a wedding to plan and the kids will be there as well; it'll be overwhelming enough for her adjusting to living with you. We'll visit around New Year so you can have a few days together."

"Fine," he replied, "I was just trying to be nice anyway," he smirked and got up, checking the time.

"Time for your meeting with Jacob?"

"Yes," he sighed, his shoulder slightly sagging. "If I'm not back in an hour call out a search party!"

"Drama queen," she giggled, pushing him towards the door. "Remember where you were supposed to meet up?"

"Yeah," Jack said as he grabbed his coat and shoes, "it's not far from here. He needed a place to  _park,_ you know."

Ilse nodded her understanding and ushered him out the door. "You have a key right? I don't know when you'll be back and Matt was pretty tired already…."

Fumbling in his pockets for a minute, Jack triumphantly pulled out a key, checked if it fit the lock and then made his way to the elevator with a small wave of his hand. Ready to meet his fate, he thought, rolling his eyes. He liked Jacob, respected him. Hell, he even liked Selmak! He was sure Jacob liked him too, maybe even respect him and he knew Selmak liked him. But Jacob liked him as the former commander of SG-1, the SGC and now Director of Homeworld Security – not the man who was going to marry his daughter! Jack knew he was very fit for his age and that he could outrun a lot of men half his age, but Jacob had the advantage of having a snake inside him to give him a bit more strength and he really wasn't looking forward to having to run for his life once he told the older man what he and Sam were up to.

Slowly making his way over to where he was supposed to meet the Tok'ra, Jack tried to think of a way to tell Jacob. Why exactly hadn't he told Sam about this? Asked her for advice? Because he had thought he could handle it. Jacob liked him, he had nothing to fear from him… maybe Jack could convince Selmak to take over until Jacob was okay with Sam and he getting out a deep sigh, he looked up to see a dark figure standing next to a tree. Should he remind Jacob that he had young children? Maybe it would have been better if the Asgard had never saved his ass!

"Jack," Jacob greeted him in Tok'ra fashion, smiling at him.

Forcing a smile, Jack nodded. "Good to see you again, Jake," he couldn't call him  _Dad_  now, not in this conversation! "How are you and Selmak doing?"

"Good," he narrowed his eyes. "So, what is this really about? Not that I mind flying all the way out here, I always wanted to visit Amsterdam at night, you know."

"Yeah, I'm glad you could make it."

"Jack," Jacob replied impatiently. "You said nothing was wrong with Sammie, so why are we here?"

"You know she was getting divorced from the  _cop,_  right?" he asked, trying to work his way up to the important question. Seeing him nod, Jack continued. "She got back from Atlantis a few weeks ago and the divorce has been finalized."

"Excellent," he smirked, glad to hear his daughter was finally getting rid of that lousy friend of Mark's. "And you're telling me this because…?"

_'Jacob, surely you know what O'Neill wants? Have we not discussed this possibility many times since Samantha's engagement to Pete Shanahan?'_

Shaking his head slightly, Jacob told Selmak to shut up. Of course he had a good idea about what Jack wanted to tell him, but the man had been trying his patience for years and he couldn't resist making him sweat a little! "Jack?"

"Yeah, see Jacob," he stammered a bit, unsure of how to proceed. He felt like a teenager all over again, meeting his new girl's parents! He hadn't been kidding at that barbeque of Hammond's a few years ago when he'd told his friends that his meeting with Sara's parents had been awkward!

"Jack," he said in an exasperated sigh. "My parking meter is running out, you know? I would actually like to  _see_  my daughter on Christmas instead of  _talking_  about her." For a moment Jacob wondered why Sam wasn't with Jack, because if he was right about this….

Taking a fortifying breath, Jack decided to just spill. "Right, okay. Carter is an amazing woman, I'm sure you know that, and an amazing soldier and scientist too!"

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Yes, I know…."

"She's kind, funny, smart as hell, caring," _totally hot_ , Jack thought but he daren't say aloud. He might be a three-star but he knew when to tread carefully! "Ambitious, strong, capable, beautiful, honest-"

"You're in love with her," Jacob stated, not even asking, smirking when he saw Jack's shocked expression.

"What if I were?" Jack asked oh so innocently. "You know, half of the SGC is in love with her and I'm pretty sure there are still a few aliens out there who haven't died yet that are head over heels with her."

Jacob snorted, shaking his head. "What, you're saying you can't help yourself?"

"Well, she is pretty amazing, Jake."

He nodded, "Of course, she's my daughter."

"Right," Jack breathed. "I care about her, Jacob."

"A lot more than you're supposed to, huh?"

Squinting, Jack tried to read him, wondering if perhaps he knew. This was too much of a coincidence! But the man's facial expression was blank, not even giving him the slightest hint of what he was thinking! Damn, where was that snake when you needed her! "Yeah," he shocked both of them by admitting it, "and have for a while now."

"I know," Jacob smiled, unable to keep his smugness hidden much longer. "Anise told me about the Zatarc testing a few years ago."

"Damn snake," he muttered under his breath. "And you haven't killed me…?"

"Yet," he replied, glaring at the younger man.

Swallowing hard, Jack tried to come up with a quip to get rid of some of the tension, but damn, Jacob could be scary at times! "You're saying there's still a chance? Do I at least get a head start?" he gestured behind him at the park in the direction from where he came.

"It depends…."

"On what? You know I'm an old man, right Jake? I have three young children to take care of and-"

"What about Sam?"

Blinking a few times, Jack stared at him. "What about her?"

"What do you want from my daughter?"

"I asked her to marry me," Jack blurted out, unable to stand the tension any longer. Damn, he was a lieutenant general in the USAF, he'd been through tougher shit than this and  _now_  he was giving in?

Jacob suppressed the smile that threatened at the corners of his mouth and tried to ignore Selmak's outburst in his head, while holding Jack's gaze. "What did she do?"

"Well, she didn't kick my ass," he replied hesitantly. There was no way he was going to tell Jacob about the specific circumstances in which he'd asked Sam to marry him  _or_  what  _exactly_  she had been doing at the time.

"Did she need to think about it?"

"No," Jack replied, unable to keep the smugness out of his voice. For him she didn't need two weeks to think it over, ha! "She accepted right away."

Smiling now, Jacob nodded, rubbing his chin. "She wasn't drunk, was she?"

"What, no!"

"Good," he grinned broadly now. "Where is she?"

"She's spending Christmas with Mark and his family," Jack told him, feeling like a weight fell of his shoulders with his response.

Stunned, Jacob simply stared at him. "Why?"

Hearing the drawl in his voice, Jack shrugged. "He was very insistent and she felt like she had to tell him about our engagement in person."

"On Christmas?"

"Yeah," he rolled his eyes, still not over the fact how much he was missing her, especially when he thought about all the other holidays they hadn't spent together in the past few years. It was ridiculous and he knew it. "She thought this would be best."

"Why, is there hurry?" Jacob asked, wonder in his voice. "Wait a minute, you're still in the same chain of command, Jack. How the hell are you going to pull this off?"

Sighing, Jack filled him in about their plans and made it clear that they couldn't wait much longer to get married.

"I understand," Jacob nodded, clasping his shoulder. "I guess this means I'm going to San Diego, to visit my kids."

"Sam texted me, they're going out for dinner," Jack replied, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket to see which restaurant it was again.

"Very well, I should get going."

"Jake," Jack grabbed his arm and looked at him. "You're okay with this? With me and Sam?"

* * *

"So, Sam," Laura tried to start a conversation as they were waiting for their dinner. "What are you doing these days?"

"Nothing much," she smiled, shaking her head.

Mark almost choked on his water. "That's a first, you doing nothing!"

"Yeah, Dad is always saying you're a workaholic," Amy added, bobbing her head.

"He should talk," Ryan rolled his eyes, knowing his father was just as incapable of not working as his aunt. Hell, if he didn't know any better he would think his father was having an affair for all the times he worked late! But no, his father was just that boring…. Ever since getting to know his aunt and grandfather better he wondered how in god's name they were related to his father. At least they had an exciting life, serving their country and seeing some action. Especially his aunt – with the injuries he'd seen on her in the past few years he was sure she wasn't working in deep space radar telemetry! She was scarily smart and he'd been told by his grandpa that she could kick some major ass! Plus, she was hot. All his friends told him whenever they met her and despite being his aunt even he could see it!

"Well," Sam said slightly insulted, "I'm awaiting reassignment at the moment." More like  _stalling_  for reassignment, she told herself. She had already made her decision, but she had yet to discuss it with Jack. She knew he would support her no matter what she would choose, but she still wasn't sure how and when to bring it up. They also hadn't discussed their living arrangements and she assumed they would talk about it when she got back from this lovely family visit.

"Where?"

"Mark," she sighed, getting annoyed already.  _God_ , how was she going to survive the next few days!

"Classified I take it?"

"Yeah, sure you betcha," she replied sarcastically.

"That sounds awfully familiar," Jacob huffed as he stood beside their table.

"Dad!" Both Carters exclaimed.

"Good to see you too," he smiled, pulling out the empty chair next to his son. "You don't mind if I join you, do you?"

"Of course not, Dad," Mark stammered. In a way, he was happy that his father was here, spending Christmas with them because he couldn't remember the last time he'd spent Christmas with his father, not to mention his father  _and_  his sister. It certainly hadn't happened since he'd gotten married. "I didn't know you were, er…"

"In the neighborhood?" Jacob quipped, smiling at his son as he clapped his shoulder. "Yes, I was around and thought I could spend Christmas with some friends. But then I called and Jack told me Sam was in San Diego, so I thought what better chance than to spend time with my kids?"

"You called General O'Neill?" Sam asked, finally getting over the shock of seeing her father. She was sure there wasn't a scheduled meeting, she would have been told despite the fact that she was awaiting reassignment.

"I did," he replied smugly, shaking his head slightly at the way she kept up the good soldier routine by not calling him Jack.

"So, you were looking for Sam?" Mark asked, feeling slightly disappointed. He knew his father and sister got along a lot better than he did with either of them, but it hurt that his father hadn't even thought about visiting him or his family. "I mean, that's why you called her CO right?"

"Actually, I had no idea she was back from  _abroad_ ," Jacob sent a glare at his daughter for not informing him. "I didn't think there was enough time for me to fly out to San Diego and spend Christmas with you-"

Now that Sam turned out to be here, Mark added silently. "But now you can?"

"I made a few calls while I was here and when I called Jack he told me about Sam and said to enjoy Christmas with my family."

"Really?" Sam asked, hesitantly, still not sure of what exactly Jack had told her father.

"Yeah, he called Henry and they made sure I have enough time off."

"I don't understand," Ryan interrupted. "You're a general, right? Why do you need permission to get downtime from Aunt Sam's CO?"

"Ah," Jacob stammered a bit, glancing at Sam for help, but it was clear her mind was elsewhere. "The meeting is about some classified information that concerns him and therefore he's able to draw it out a bit."

Mark snorted, shaking his head. His Dad used to be better at making cover stories, he mused. "And who is this Henry?"

"President Hayes," Sam said matter of fact as she saw the waiter arriving with their food.

"The President of the United States?" Amy asked, her eyes wide.

"I had no idea you knew him personally," Laura chimed in, looking between her father- and sister-in-law, before checking her husband who clearly had no idea either.

"Oh yes, George used to serve with him and he introduced us, way before he was important," Jacob informed them casually. "And Sam knows him too."

"Through you?" Mark asked, finally regaining the ability to form a somewhat coherent sentence.

Shaking his head, Jacob looked at him with a straight face. "No, through her work. He's really into deep space radar telemetry."

"Yes," Sam ducked her head, unable to suppress her smile. "Dad, you should order something too."

"Wait," Laura placed a hand on Jacob's hand. "Now that you have more downtime, does that mean you'll be staying with us for Christmas?"

"If I'm welcome," he smiled at her.

"Of course you are," Ryan decided, grinning at his awesome grandfather – who knew the President!

"You know," Jacob smirked at his daughter.

"What, Dad?"

"Jack and I had a very interesting conversation when I went to go see him."

"You went to Europe?" She asked, stunned.

"It was on my way," he shrugged as he saw Mark stare at him too. He could hardly tell Sam that he was here per ship, not via the gate.

"Oh," Sam nodded, not liking where this conversation was headed.

"He told me to wish you all a merry Christmas," Jacob started, looking around the table at his family…


	4. Family Affairs

"Well, that's nice of him," Laura replied when her father-in-law told them about Sam's CO wishing them a merry Christmas.

"Odd," Mark said instead, but seeing the look he was getting from his wife, he fake-smiled. "But nice."

"Aunt Sam," Ryan started, giving her an inquiring look. "How come your CO outranks Grandpa? Wasn't he a Colonel before?"

Startled from her musings Sam's head snapped up. "Ah, yes, he was a Colonel when we first met," she nodded. Her mind was still trying to figure out what Jack and her dad could have possibly been talking about earlier.

"Then how is it possible that he's been promoted to a three-star in such a short time while Grandpa is still a major general? That usually takes at least-"

"Ryan," Mark interrupted his son, "why are you interested in this?"

Looking at his father, Ryan shrugged. "It's interesting," he offered. No way was he going to tell his old man that he was thinking of joining the AF, what with the way he was acting towards Aunt Sam and Grandpa? No fucking way!"You and Mom are always saying I should be more interested in other people," he said in a smartass-tone, "and now that I am it's not okay? What, I'm being snoopy now?"

"It's okay, Mark," Jacob waved his hand at his son, "the boy can ask. You know, Ryan, you're right in a way. I was close to retiring when I got leukemia," he frowned for a minute, not liking the way he had to lie to his family time and again, "and because of what happened then I was reassigned, you could say."

"You're flying a desk?"

"Where do you get all that terminology from, Ryan?" Mark asked again, getting frustrated with his son's interest. Laura and he could hardly ever get him away from his computer long enough to have a decent conversation and they almost had to hide his laptop for the holidays and now he was being all interested?

Ignoring his son, Jacob decided to continue. "Well, you could say I work more as a liaison these days," he nodded, seeing Sam smirk in his peripheral vision. "Jack, however, has a very, er…"  _dark_ , "colorful past and has been doing a lot of field work these last few years."

"I see," Ryan responded, nodding in understanding as he looked from his father to his aunt. He wanted to work in the field too, like Aunt Sam – not that she would admit it. "And you know Aunt Sam's CO?"

"Yeah, I've worked with him on occasion," Jacob confirmed.

Now his interest was piqued, Mark thought. "When you were still in the field, Dad?" His sister said she was working in deep space radar telemetry and he still wasn't sure whether to believe it, but so far he'd never been able to catch her on a lie and their father was backing her story. However, he couldn't imagine his father being involved in deep space radar telemetry or anything else having to do with deep space for that matter! Yes, Sam had always wanted to be an astronaut as a kid but their Dad had always told them that the AF was far better and that going into space was a ridiculous fantasy. "I mean, he's a lot older than Sam, right? Did you serve with him in the past?" If so, why would the man turn to deep space radar telemetry?

"He's not  _that_ old," Sam blurted out.  _Crap!_  "Dad is from a different generation," she tried, scowling at her father, daring him to deny it.

"Well, I only saw him at your engagement party," Mark shrugged, thinking back, "and although he had a lot more hair than Dad, he was definitely gray."

Sensing trouble coming from his daughter, Jacob gave her a swift kick under the table to keep her mouth shut. He had wanted to tease her a bit about her relationship with Jack, thinking it was a fitting punishment considering she hadn't bothered to tell him she had gotten back from Atlantis  _or_  that she was getting married to her CO, but not like this. "Like I said, he's been through a lot. Besides, can you imagine being stuck with your sister for over a decade? Why do you think I'm losing my hair?!"

"Did you bore him until he got gray, Aunt Sam?" Amy smirked at her, sticking out her tongue.

"We're lucky the poor man hasn't burned out from all the stress yet," Jacob joked along. "I've heard you launch your, what does he call it again, techno babble?" With his past in black ops, the death of his young son and his life at the SGC, Jacob thought it was no miracle Jack O'Neill had turned gray. Plus, he had seen some of the tension between his daughter and her CO over the years – not that he'd recognized it until Sam had gotten engaged to that  _cop_  and Selmak rubbed his nose in it.

Sam ducked her head to hide her blush, which only caused her family to laugh louder. It wasn't that she was embarrassed by what her father had said, but Jack had told her exactly what her techno babble did to him and she found it hard not to remember  _that_ , whenever someone mentioned it. "Can we please change the subject?"

"You're right, Sam," Laura chimed in, thinking that girls should stick together. She could only imagine how uncomfortable it was for her sister-in-law to be talking about her CO on Christmas Day! "Let's talk about something positive, does anyone have some good news they want to share?"

"I heard your divorce was finalized," Jacob piped up, looking at Sammie.

Mark coughed loudly, before clearing his throat. "I don't think that's what Laura meant, Dad. I'm sure Sam doesn't need to be reminded of that right now."

Giving her brother a small smile, Sam immediately recognized the 'what, it  _is_  good news'-expression on her father's face and chuckled inwardly. She had known her father didn't approve of Pete and she had been immensely relieved when she told him she wanted a divorce and Dad had said he would support her and that he was happy to hear that. At the time, he'd claimed that he meant he was happy that it wasn't some awful news she had been trying to tell him but she knew better now. "It's okay, Mark."

"No, it's not," he replied, scowling at his father and sister. "Pete was one of my best friends and you hurt him, Sam. Our friendship has suffered under that, especially because you won't explain the situation to me and Pete keeps telling me I should ask you!"

"Honey, you can't blame your sister that the marriage didn't work," Laura said, patting his knee.

Sam, however, felt the glare he was sending her and knew he  _was_  blaming her. He was right; she had never told him the entire truth, just that it hadn't gone down well. Jack had suggested she tell him about Pete running a background check on her and stalking them to that stakeout, not to mention what he'd been yelling at her during the public fight he had caused at the airport after she'd gotten back from Atlantis. She knew that wouldn't help, though, especially not because Mark was already suspicious about the work she did and he would want to know what Pete found out at the stakeout – and why she was there in the first place, considering she worked in deep space radar telemetry – and what he could have possibly discovered about her by running a background check on her. She knew her brother and the fact that Pete had been lying to him about their marriage while she was on Atlantis didn't convince him that she had made the right choice, told her that Mark's resentment over the situation wasn't going away anytime soon. "We just didn't work out and I'm sure Dad just meant he was glad I could move on now and that I didn't have to worry about that, right?"

Jacob rolled his eyes at her, but nodded. His son, however, would hear none of it and started to protest. "Maybe you shouldn't have set them up in the first place," he blurted out, regretting it the minute he said it.

"I was just trying to help her, Dad! You know Sam, she hardly ever comes out of that mountain she works in and never meets any guys!"

"Actually, Dad," Ryan told them, "there are a lot more men in the military than there are women."

"I meant non-military guys!" Mark groaned.

"There are actually a lot of scientists in her department," Jacob shrugged, "and Daniel and Murray aren't,"  _technically_ , "military."

Groaning in frustration, Sam let her head rest in her hands. "Like I have been telling both of you for years, I don't need any help in my love life."

"Come on, Sam," Mark said in between bites, "it was obvious you needed some help, there's no shame in admitting that."

"I can't believe this," she muttered under her breath, "I thought this was supposed to be a nice, family dinner?"

"You're right, Sammie," Jacob said, smiling at her with a knowing look in his eyes.

"Wait a minute, Dad, how did you know about Sam's divorce?"

Jacob shrugged, taking a sip of water and signaling a waiter to finally order something to eat. He decided to skip the first course, considering his family had almost finished that. "Jack told me today."

Sam closed her eyes and braced herself for the rest of the dinner. This couldn't get any worse, could it? Why did Dad have to say that? Why did he even get started about Jack in the first place? Welcome to my world, Sam thought as the waiter nearly jumped back hearing them argue when he wanted to take her father's order. Christmas, peace on Earth… Not when you're spending it with the Carter family! "Dad," she jerked her head to the scared waiter.

"Right," Jacob mumbled, ready to give his order.

"Oh no," Mark shook his head, narrowing his eyes at his sister. "You're not getting out of it that easily, Sammie."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Mark," she replied, taking a sip of water.

Rolling his eyes at her, Mark dragged a hand through his thinning hair. "How come your CO knows about your divorce?"

"I told him," she shrugged.

Jacob clasped his shoulder and gently squeezed it. "You saw her team at the, er… a few years ago," he refused to mention the engagement party preceding his daughter's awful marriage, "they're good friends."

"Indeed," Sam beamed at them, making her father chuckle with her impression of Teal'c.

The joke was lost on Mark, but it wouldn't be the first time he felt like an outsider in his own family…. "Yeah, I get that," he didn't really, he simply couldn't imagine his sister and her team hanging out. What, like they went out to a bar to have drinks together? Or have a barbecue on a warm summer night ending with a campfire? Right, like those uptight Air Force officers would do something like that. "It's just that you – or Pete – hadn't even told me the divorce had been finalized."

"I thought Jack said it was just a few days ago?"

Almost groaning, Sam glared at him. "Yes, Dad." Just what she needed, now Mark was never going to leave the subject of her CO alone! Maybe she should just tell him right now and get it over with? Taking a deep breath, she glanced around the table, but – seeing her brother's family look kind of… miserable and upset – she decided against it. Instead, she plastered a smile on her face. "So, how's school, kids?"

Mark leaned back as his children were telling his sister and father all about their latest school results and their friends, quietly observing his sis. There was something about her, she looked different… not that he had a lot to compare it with, but she looked different than a few weeks ago when she'd gotten back from her assignment abroad. She had surprised him – and Laura, as his wife had told him later – by how relaxed she was, after coming back from what was a pretty intense situation according to the news. Not that she would have been in much danger, with her work as a scientist. It wasn't like the AF gave her a gun or put her in a dangerous situation… Of course, her work was classified so he couldn't say for sure, but they had probably sent her there to research nuclear weaponry or something, he doubted she had to go abroad to study deep space. He wasn't sure and she wouldn't tell him if her life depended on it. Nope, his sister was a stickler for those precious rules and regulations her dear Air Force upheld and if they dictated she wasn't supposed to do, feel, tell or act upon something she never would. Jeez, Dad must be so proud of his perfect little soldier, he thought grimacing to himself.

As he finished his first course, Mark decided he was going to find out what Sammie was trying to hide from him the coming days. He wondered if his father knew? Then again, hadn't he said he didn't even know Sam had come back from abroad? Again, you would expect the AF to at least inform his father of that, right? He let out a frustrated sigh and resisted the urge to bang his head on the table. His kids were still entertaining the others, so he let his eyes wander around the restaurant for a minute as he tried to think of what Sam  _wasn't_  telling him. It was only when he saw the decorations that he realized thatit was Christmas and he had asked his sister to spend the holidays with him and his family, and that they were supposed to enjoy their family time together now that even their father had joined them.

"Mark, sweetheart?" Laura tugged on his hand, wondering why he wasn't reacting the way she'd expected.

Startled from his musings, he looked around the table. "Huh, what?" Sam was looking intensely at Ryan, Amy was – as usual – playing with her food and Laura, sitting next to him looked worried, while his father – on his other side – was looking downright smug.

"It's okay, Mom," Ryan hastened himself to say. "I'm not even sure yet, Dad and I can talk about it later," he sent his mother a pleading look. He hadn't meant to blurt out that he was thinking of joining the AF when Grandpa and Aunt Sam were asking him about what he wanted to do after graduating in a few years!

"About what?"

"It's nothing," Laura reassured him, before scowling at her firstborn. He had some nerve dropping a bombshell like that during dinner, without even mentioning it before! She would talk to him later, after the holidays and Mark was in a better mood.

Thanking God that his parents weren't pressing for answers – that his father apparently hadn't even heard him! – Ryan grinned back at the two AF officers at the table. "Aunt Sam, is that your cell phone?"

"Oh, sorry," Sam mumbled, fumbling in her bag. "I've got to take this, I'll be right back."

"Sam!" Mark hissed, annoyed that she hadn't turned her cell phone off.

"Don't worry about it, she'll be right back," Jacob said in a placating tone. "So Mark, Laura how have you two been?"

To say that he was surprised with the sudden interest from his father would be an understatement! Mark knew he wasn't being fair – his father usually came to visit him and his family a few times a year, sometimes together with Sam and he really was trying to be an interested parent ever since he'd dropped by his house out of nowhere all those years ago. "We're good," he squeezed his wife's hand and smiled at her. "Right, honey?"

Laura nodded, glad some of the tension was finally leaving the table. "Yes, everything is going fine. Did Mark tell you he'd been promoted a few months ago?"

"No," Jacob's eyebrows rose and he looked at his son. "Congratulations Mark, why didn't you tell me?"

"Oh," he shrugged, "it's been quite some time already and we haven't seen each other in the meantime, so…." He let his voice trail off, not knowing what else to say. Of course, the AF had been keeping his father god knows where and Sam had been abroad so he hadn't had the chance to tell either of them. Still, he couldn't help but smile when his father praised him and he chastised himself for always wanting his father's approval. He was never going to be like that with his children, he had decided years ago, before the Carters had made up. Of course, there had been a good reason for their estrangements; he had held his father responsible for the death of his mother and Sam had 'chosen their Dad's side' – at least, that's how his adolescent mind had taken it at the time – and joined the Air Force. He himself had turned his back on both his father and the USAF, resenting the service even more than he already had for keeping their father away from them all the time – and with that he'd destroyed his father's dream of seeing his son follow his footsteps. No, he would never let anything get in between his relationship with his kids, he would support them in whatever they wanted to do in live. He had already lost enough time with his father and sister….

"Well, I'm sure you deserved it," Jacob told him as he clapped him on the shoulder. He didn't know what else to say, really, he hardly knew what his son exactly did at the office he worked at and Mark never told him, knowing he wouldn't understand it anyway. It was much easier with Sam, especially since he'd blended with Selmak and had seen her in action himself. With his daughter he knew what he was talking about and it always felt like he was letting his son down somehow, because they couldn't really relate. "Just tell me the new job doesn't keep you away from your family for even more hours?"

"Don't worry about it, Grandpa, we're used to it," Ryan rolled his eyes at the men. "Hey," he elbowed Amy in the side when she punched his arm. "It's true, Dad always gets home late in the evening."

"Amy, Ryan, stop that immediately," Laura glared at them. "We're in a restaurant for heaven's sake, behave yourselves!"

"I guess I got that workaholic trait from you, Dad," Mark commented before he realized what he'd said. Oh great, here we go again… His father, however, started laughing instead of arguing about his precious AF like he used to!

Chuckling, Jacob shook his head. "I guess you do, you both do," he included Sam into it as she returned to her seat.

"Do what?" She asked, glancing between her father and brother. "What?"

"Grandpa said you and Dad are both workaholics, like himself," Amy smirked at her from the other side of the table.

"Dad, I'm not-"

Now it was Mark's turn to snort. "Please Sam, you're even worse than I am… worse than Dad, probably."

"I'm not even working at the moment," she huffed, glaring at the two of them, "I'm still awaiting reassignment for crying out loud!"

"And getting a bit antsy from the lack of work, I take it?" He teased his sister.

"Bu-"

Leaning forward, Jacob patted her hand. "Come on Sammie, there is no denying it. I've heard stories about the times Jack had to kick you out of your lab in the middle of the night!"

"The middle of the night?" Laura gasped, shocked. And here she was, complaining that Mark couldn't make it to dinner at times!

"Well, that was years ago," Sam frowned. "Besides, Daniel did it too."

At that Jacob only started laughing louder, startling the waiter who was bringing them their food and drinks. "You and Daniel are both obsessed with your research."

"Like I said, that was years ago," she groaned, rolling her eyes at him as she leaned back when her plate was placed on the table. "I've hardly spent any time doing research-" she quickly cut herself off as she realized what she'd been saying. Her dad could be so annoying at times and she could get carried away, trying to prove him she was right!

"Please," he smirked at her. "I've spoken to Sheppard a few months ago when we were both… in the same area," they'd both been Earthbound – at the SGC – at the time, "and he told me all about you pulling all-nighters or running around base in the middle of the night when you were needed."

Surprised, Sam looked at him. "You talked to John?"

"Yeah, he seems like a good guy," he nodded.

"He is," she smiled, thinking of her former 2IC back at Atlantis… She briefly wondered how he was getting along with Woolsey."A great guy, actually." One had to be to tolerate Rodney McKay on your team.

Pricking up his ears at the new name, Mark decided to store it away for later. He still had a few more days with his sister and it sounded like she really liked this John Sheppard guy. Hum, interesting.

"Besides, I was doing my job," Sam turned to her father. After all, she'd been the commander of an entire city and if there were problems that she needed to address she could hardly stay in bed, now could she? "And it might please you to know that I have been enjoying my downtime for a few weeks now, actually."

"Yes," Jacob scowled at her, "so I've heard." He really didn't want to know what she meant by that, knowing that Jack had – finally – proposed to her once she'd gotten back from Atlantis.

"Sam," Mark tried, assuming their little argument was finished now. "Was everything okay?" he made a vague hand gesture indicating her phone call.

Ryan snorted at that, almost choking on his coke. Coughing a few times to clear his airways, he glanced at his father. "Dad, these days cell phones aren't  _that_  big, you know?"

"Yes, it was just Cassie calling to wish me a merry Christmas," Sam told her brother, smiling at Ryan's antics.

"Yes, where is she anyway? Is she spending the holidays with Jack?" Jacob asked her, frowning. "If I'd known I would've made sure to greet her and not just meet Jack outside," seeing the look he was getting from his son, he continued, "when I passed through town and met up with him for a little chat."

"No," she shook her head, "she's with her boyfriend and his family."

"Grandpa, I thought Aunt Sam's CO was in Europe? How did you pass through town?"

"Oh," he shrugged, "he was staying in an apartment near the airport in Amsterdam."

"Wow, that's so awesome," Ryan grinned, "I wish we'd go visit some place cool like that instead of our boring vacations."

Once again intrigued, Mark turned to his sister. "Cassie was the daughter of your late friend, right?"

"Yeah," Sam gave him a wistful smile. "Janet was one of my best friends and when she died Cassie moved in with me for a while," she told Laura and the others, knowing that Mark had been told at her engagement party. "She's in college now, in Nevada and doing great! She wants to become a doctor, like her mother."

"Definitely one special kid," Jacob added, nodding. He knew all about her history and how she'd gotten to Earth, including the part about her being a Trojan horse and how Sam had bonded with the little girl. "And she's lucky to have you as her legal guardian," he told Sam, smiling at her. Cassandra was a tough young woman with a big heart and he knew she loved Sam like a mother and that it was mutual. There was a reason he let her call him grandpa!

"Thanks Dad," she smiled sheepishly, uncomfortable with the attention coming from the adults at the table and took another few bites from her delicious meal.

"Oh yes, I remember; Mark told me about that," Laura recalled from all those years ago. Her husband hadn't made any sense to her at first when he'd gotten back from the party, talking about a young woman who was very familial with his father and sister.

"Why would she be spending time with your CO if you're her legal guardian?" Mark asked, honestly puzzled by the situation.

"Oh, you know, we share guardianship over her," Sam mumbled, before she quickly took a sip of wine.

"You what? For a minute I thought you said you shared guardianship over an orphaned girl with your commanding officer," he chuckled, shaking his head. It was too ridiculous for words!

Feeling another argument in the making, Jacob quickly interfered. "Yeah, that's true. Sam and Jack took care of Cassie after the good doctor passed away," he told his son calmly. "Janet Fraiser was a good friend of Sam and her team, hell everyone at the base liked her, I liked her. And once she adopted Cassie, Cassie became a part of their family too."

Mark frowned at his father, not able to remember ever hearing him say something like that before and he actually seemed sincere! But he couldn't help feel a bit jealous about the way his father knew so much about Sam's life while he didn't. How she apparently considered her friends family, while he was her brother! "Oh, okay…." Pete had told him that Sam and her team were more than just colleagues, but he hadn't imagined something like this! Then again, Sam had been stationed there for what, almost ten years or something? As far as he knew, that was pretty rare in the Air Force.

"She said hi, by the way and wanted me to give you her best wishes," Sam told them, munching on her food. "Cassie, I mean."

"How sweet of her," Jacob smiled in between bites.

Definitely strange to see his father acting like that, Mark thought. "So, Dad, do you have any news? We've already covered everything else…."

Ignoring Selmak's chuckles, Jacob looked around the table with a blank face. "No, nothing really. I'm just glad to be spending the holidays with my family, to see that my daughter came back home safe and to learn that my son has been promoted and his family is healthy."

Even after all these years, Sam was still getting used to her Dad's sappy side but she knew Selmak was a strong influence. The Tok'ra was probably making fun of him right now for being so touchy-feely, she thought to herself. "Everything okay with you Dad? I know you would've told me if there was something wrong, but we've hardly spoken to each other these past two years, with me being  _abroad_  and you  _out there_ … and now you're here all of a sudden, without any warning," she kept smiling politely at him, but she knew he understood the look she was giving him with her eyes.

"I'm fine, Sammie," he tried reassuring her. "There was just some business to be had and I volunteered to go along in the hopes of meeting up with some friends," Jacob grinned, "and instead I was able to come and see all of you."

"Ah, good," she nodded. "How are, er… the others?"

"Others?" Mark questioned, frowning at her choice of words. "What, Dad's colleagues? You know them too? I knew the AF was a small world, but I didn't think you guys all knew each other!"

"Oh, don't worry, everything is okay," Jacob made a vague hand gesture. "Freya came too, she said to wish you happy holidays."

"Please," Sam muttered, rolling her eyes. She couldn't stand the damn Tok'ra.

"Oh come on, Sam, it's nice of her to say that," Mark scolded her gently.

Jacob simply grinned. "It's okay, Sam just really doesn't like her."

"What? My big sister Samantha Carter who  _doesn't_  like a person? What did she do, kill your dog?" Mark almost gasped in shock. Sammie was one of the nicest persons he knew – probably a bit too nice for the AF – and he couldn't remember the last time she'd actually disliked someone!

"No, me," Sam blurted out. Not that that is the only reason, she thought.

"What do you mean, Aunt Sam?" Ryan chimed in, having enjoyed listening to his family but now feeling rather curious.

Holding up his hand to forestall any response, Jacob shrugged. "Oh, just an unfortunate experiment gone wrong."

"Well, it was a little more than that, Dad."

Sharing his son's curiosity, Mark waved with his hand. "Go on."

"There were some tests in which she needed Sammie's help and it didn't go very well, Sam almost got hurt."

"Dad," she hissed, glaring at him. "She's a crazy person. She has no ethics whatsoever and disregards anyone else's opinion until there's trouble and then we have to figure it out ourselves!"

Taking a deep breath, Jacob leaned back in his chair, pushing his now-empty plate away. "She apologized for that, she had no idea what was going to happen and you have to admit she couldn't have foreseen that. It wasn't her intention to hurt you, Sam."

"I know," Sam replied, although she still doubted that somehow, having the feeling the woman didn't like her at all. "I'm not just talking about that 'incident.'"

"Sa-"

"No Dad," she shook her head. "She almost got me killed me  _again_ , after that," she said, referring to the zatarc testing.

"That wasn't her fault, Sam," Jacob gently told her. At least Anise and Freya had been willing to try and find the zatarcs while the rest of the High Council had thought her ideas were ridiculous!

"Maybe not, but if  _I_  hadn't figured it out I and the then-Colonel O'Neill would have been dead by now, just like Martouf," she almost whispered. Even after all these years she still struggled with what had happened that day. How she had been forced to kill Martouf because Anise and Freya had been careless with their testing, assuming the Tok'ra were unaffected! "Plus it was simply humiliating," she recalled how she and Jack had been forced to admit their inappropriate feelings.

Holding her gaze, he nodded. "I  _know_."

"Oh right, I should have known that besides ethics she doesn't know the meaning of patient-confidentiality!"

"Now, Sammie-"

"And if that wasn't bad enough she wasn't even looking for a solution," Sam continued, feeling like she was on a roll now. "No, she felt it was more important to go and flirt around!"

Jacob tried to fight the grin he knew was threatening his expression, but he finally realized what Selmak had been trying to tell him for a while now; his daughter was jealous because Anise had tried to seduce Jack! "I'll admit that wasn't the smartest thing she could have done, but she apologized for that as well."

Sam huffed, shaking her head. As if that Tok'ra bitch had meant a word of what she'd said. It was obvious she was only doing it because the High Council was afraid the newly formed alliance was at risk. "Whatever."

"Wow, that is one wicked story!" Ryan exclaimed, bobbing his head enthusiastically. "A lot more interesting than your boring meetings, Dad."

"Gee, thanks Ryan," Mark rolled his eyes, but he had to admit it was very interesting. "She was actually flirting? With whom?"

"Ah," Sam stammered for a moment, "she had an eye on Daniel."

"Actually, Sammie," Jacob replied smugly, "Freya kissed Jack and tried to seduce him, Anise is the one interested in Daniel."

Great, just what she needed; a father who apparently knew everything about her personal life!"Well, I don't really care," she lied, knowing full well that the Tok'ra had jumped Jack the minute she got into his room, "either way it was totally unprofessional."

"You've lost me, Dad."

"Twins, identical twins," he rolled his eyes when Selmak laughed at his lame answer.

"Oh, wasn't that the woman who was Daniel's date?" Mark asked, recalling the very attractive woman who obviously wasn't completely right in the head.

"Sounds about right," Sam nodded, crossing her arms waiting for the next course.

* * *

"Oh, good morning," Jack said, surprised to see Ilse sitting at the table at 0630 hours.

"Hi," she smiled at him, looking up from her laptop.

"I thought you were sleeping in?"

"So did I," Ilse replied groaning. "But my children disagreed."

Grinning, Jack plopped down on the chair across from her. "Ah, woke you up early did they?"

"Yeah, Sebastian crawled into bed with us while I was still asleep," she recalled, still thankful that she'd grabbed her PJs after making love to her husband last night due to the low temperatures. "Apparently Matt had told him he could sleep with us after he came to our room and then I woke up from Simone's crying."

"Couldn't get back to sleep, huh?"

"Nope," she shook her head and turned the screen of her laptop towards him. "Does this look familiar to you?"

Leaning forward, Jack squinted at the screen. "Could be, certainly has the gold theme going."

"That's what I thought," Ilse confirmed and turned it around again. "I'll make sure to look at it," she mumbled.

"New client?"

"No, old client with new inheritance," she smiled as she looked up at him, at the same time typing up an email. "You know, I still see all the items and I'm the one who decides who's going to handle the case and this," she nodded towards the screen again, "is one of the reasons for that arrangement."

"That and the fact you don't like giving up control," Jack chuckled. "Are there any other items I should be concerned about?"

"No, this is the only one in the collection, but the client has more items that haven't been catalogued yet so I can't say for sure until I've seen all of it."

"Okay, let me know if you need any help, I'm sure Daniel would love to go with you even if it turns out to be nothing. He loves his dusty rocks," Jack quipped.

"Sure thing, I'm sure he can tell me a lot more about this item," she smiled at him. "But no more work," Ilse stated and closed of her laptop after sending an email with delegations to her secretary. "It's still Christmas, after all."

"I'll make sure to give him a call when I get home," Jack told her as he got up and walked into the kitchen. "How about breakfast?"

Glancing at the clock, Ilse nodded. "Sure, we can set the table already and boil some eggs," she replied as she got rid of the laptop and cleared the table.

Together they prepared a luxury breakfast and by the time they were making fresh juice, four bundles of energy bounded into the living room.

"Good morning," Jack greeted the children, grinning at their disheveled hair and sleepy eyes. "Sleep well?"

"Yes Daddy," Milou nodded, brushing her hair back with her hand. "G'morning Auntie Ilse," she smiled at her aunt.

"Good morning to you too," Ilse replied, looking at all the kids and letting her eyes rest on her son. "Where's your father?"

"With Simone," Sebastian replied before taking a seat at the table. "I'm hungry."

"Me too," Nathan chimed in as he fidgeted with the hem of his pajama shirt.

Ilse grabbed the last few items from the counter and placed them on the table, where the four children were already seated. "Who wants juice?"

"I want milk," Maddy spoke while the others all raised their hands.

Rolling her eyes, Ilse grabbed a carton of milk and poured her niece a glass, while Jack was rummaging about in the cabinets.

"Where's that fruitcake-like bread you always have for Christmas?" He almost whined when he couldn't find it, having been looking forward to having it with breakfast.

"Right here, Daddy," Nathan pointed at the plate in front of him. "Can we eat now?"

"Not yet," Ilse scolded him gently, "we have to wait until everyone is here."

"But Daddy was busy with Simone," Sebastian protested, frowning. He was getting hungry and the food looked so good….

"No, Ilse is right," Jack said as he joined the kids at the table and sat down next to Nathan. "You wouldn't like it if we started breakfast without you, would you? He'll have kittens if he comes in here and sees all the good food is gone!"

"I resent that," Ilse told him, "all the food is good!"

"You and Uncle Matt are having kittens?" Milou asked, excited. "Can we have one, Daddy?"

Bobbing her head, Maddy chimed in. "Yes, Daddy, please?"

"What, no," Jack frowned at his daughters. "It's an expression," he explained.

"Oh," Milou's face fell and her lower lip started trembling.

"Oh," Maddy said at the same time, nodding slightly in understanding. "Can we still get a kitten?"

"No," Jack shook his head. "And stop pouting, both of you," he couldn't stand those sad faces and he was pretty sure they were doing it on purpose to try and persuade him to get them a cat.

Shifting in his chair, Nathan glanced at his father. "Why not?"

"Just because," he told him, not wanting to get into a discussion. He was a dog person and if he was getting a pet, it was going to be a dog! But he knew if he told them that, they would expect him to get them a puppy and he wasn't ready for that yet. His hands were full with those three and now he and Sam were getting married too… he didn't think she'd want a dog and, really, if he could have her by his side he could easily give up his wish for a dog! Besides, he was still working long hours and Sam would too once she had picked her reassignment so they wouldn't even have time for a dog.

"What's with the long faces?" Matt asked as he entered the room, holding a freshly bathed Simone dressed in a blue dress in his arms. "Something wrong?" He asked Ilse as he gave her a kiss.

"The kids are disappointed that Jack isn't getting them a kitten," she explained, taking their daughter from his arms.

"Well, it wouldn't be fair to the cat to drag it from one house to the other, would it?" Matt asked the kids as he took a seat, watching his wife talk quietly to Simone while she was putting her in the playpen.

"Exactly!" Jack exclaimed, glad to be getting some support here. "Now, let's eat, I'm starving."

Ilse quickly joined them again and they started talking about their plans for the day while eating breakfast. Jack and the kids would probably leave for their house before lunch and Ilse and Matt hadn't decided when they were leaving to visit Matt's family, yet. His parents were living in Spain, nowadays; they had moved there from the states after their retirement and now they were visiting Matt's sister, who lived about an hour from Amsterdam by car, with her husband and daughter. Ilse had introduced them on her birthday party a year and a half ago and they had clicked immediately! His sister was convinced Ilse's friend was her Mister Right and without hesitation had moved in with him, here in the Netherlands. Ilse and Matt had both been surprised to say the least, but so far it was working out and neither was regretting their quick marriage or anything.

"Jack," Matt asked, after finishing his coffee, "are you and the kids going to the cemetery with Ilse?"

Swallowing his last piece of food, Jack raised his brows at his stepsister. "I don't know?"

"I hadn't asked yet," Ilse told her husband, squeezing his hand, before turning to Jack. "I'm going to drop off some flowers for Lil, my mother and father."

"Right," Jack nodded, remembering that she always did that around the holidays. He'd accompanied her several times, actually. His own father, Brennan was buried there as well. He'd asked Jack's opinion about it when he'd gotten older, making sure his son was okay with his decision considering his mother was buried in Minnesota. Jack had understood though, his father had built a new life here with Anna, his new wife and their daughter Lily. Besides Jack Brennan didn't have any close relatives living in the United States and Jack couldn't remember the last time he'd visited his mother's grave. Therefore, he'd told his father to do whatever he wanted and that was why he had been buried here, on a little cemetery about twenty minutes out of town. Lily had been buried next to their dad after she had died and when Anna passed away a few years ago, she'd been buried with her husband. Jack knew that Bert, Ilse's father, was buried on the other side of the same cemetery and he had accompanied her a few times over the years, but he hadn't been able to make it in the past year. He would usually visit Lily and his father's grave with Ilse and Anna and the kids…. "What do you kids think?"

Maddy simply shrugged, too busy eating the almond paste from her Christmas bread to pay much attention to anything else.

"Can we?" Milou asked her father, batting her eyelashes at him and giving her sweetest smile.

"Sure," Nathan nodded at his father.

"What about you?" Jack asked his brother-in-law. He couldn't remember ever hearing Ilse talk about Matt joining her, but then again he didn't really know them.

"I'll stay here with Simone and Sebastian," Matt shrugged. "Someone has to get them ready for the family visit." He had known Anna from when he'd started doing business with her company, before Ilse had taken him on as a client but had only met Lily a few times on parties. Their children didn't know them and Ilse had told him several times in the past that she didn't expect him to go with her, she didn't mind going on her own or with Jack. Besides, he couldn't imagine it being easy to visit the cemetery with five young children!


	5. Truth

After paying the bill, they all got up and donned their coats. Mark had to admit it had been a strange evening, it wasn't what he had planned when he invited Sammie over to spend Christmas with him and his family. He hadn't counted on his father being there either and there had been quite some tense moments, a few arguments and somehow, he was okay with that. It reminded him of all the holidays they'd spent together before his Mom had died; it had always been tense around the house those days with everyone wondering if Dad was going to make it or not and him and Sam usually ended up bickering over something completely unimportant. But in the end, those holidays also held good memories and tonight had reminded him of the good times.

Okay, he admitted to himself, maybe he'd been a bit too curious and had liked teasing Sammie just a tad too much. He had been unable to help himself though, Sam was always so darn secretive about her personal life and her job that goading her was the only way he would ever learn anything! Their Dad seemed to have enjoyed himself rather well, too and he knew his kids had enjoyed the time with their grandfather and aunt as well. Glancing to his side as they made their way over to the family car, Mark noticed that Sam was a bit quieter than usual. As a matter of fact, she'd been rather withdrawn the rest of the dinner after everything had settled. They had talked about all kinds of things, from politics to sports – since when did his sister like hockey so much? – to the latest movies.

Dad had kept a low profile and simply said he didn't really have the time to keep tabs on the news lately, but every now and then he'd chime in. He himself had been amazed about his own son; Ryan couldn't seem to keep his mouth shut which was completely opposite to his usual behavior and Mark had been pleased. It probably was due to Sam, since she kept involving him in the conversation and even started talking about hockey, videogames and school assignments. Amy had been a bit more silent, but he assumed that was because she was tired, considering it was almost midnight already!

Mark hadn't realized how long they had been talking during and after dinner and apparently time really does fly! He knew Laura had been amused by some childhood stories involving him and Sam and if he were honest, he was surprised that his father had remembered so many things, which made him enjoy the memories as well. Pressing the button on his car key, he unlocked the minivan from a distance and looked over his shoulder to make sure his Dad and Amy were keeping up. Dad had insisted he'd carry his sleeping granddaughter to the car and Mark had protested at first, but his father had simply stood and scooped up Amy. The girl was getting taller by the day it seemed and Mark was surprised to see his father effortlessly carrying the young teenager and wondered if perhaps he himself should spend a bit more time in the gym….

"I had a lovely evening," Laura told him as she threw her arm around his waist.

"Me too," he responded, pressing a kiss on her cheek. He really had, he realized. "I hadn't planned on it getting this late, though."

"It's okay," she shrugged, "we don't have to be somewhere tomorrow and can sleep in a bit."

Mark nodded and walked around the car, taking place on the driver's seat and waited for the others to join him in the vehicle. "If everyone has his seatbelt on, I'm good to go."

Sam absentmindedly stepped in last, after her father had placed the still sleeping Amy in the backseat and took his own seat. "Let's get going," she mumbled as she pulled the door close. She was tired, exhausted really from all the talking – and lying – during dinner and just wanted to crawl in bed, preferably one with Jack O'Neill in it. It was ridiculous how much she missed him, she kept telling herself. But now that she had him, she didn't want to let go anymore – ever. It was almost as if she was addicted to his presence and she could really need one of his hugs right about now.

She felt her father's eyes – and even Mark's via the rearview mirror once in a while – on her, but decided to ignore him for now. He had told her during dinner his presence didn't mean an intergalactic disaster – well, not in so many words of course, but she knew that look – and he'd been trying her patience more than enough for one night. She had always known he hadn't become a two-star general for nothing but it never amazed her how he was capable of turning every topic back to Jack O'Neill, simply because he enjoyed her squirm. Probably because she hadn't told him about the engagement herself, she mused. Not that she thought he was right; he was the one traipsing around this galaxy and she hadn't been back to the SGC since Jack had proposed.

The rest of the drive back home was covered in silence, but Mark didn't mind. Every now and then his eyes found his sister or his father through the rearview mirror, but they were both deep in thought. Sam was staring out the window and their Dad's head was slightly bowed and his eyes closed, almost as if he was meditating or praying – which was odd, to say the least. Amy was still sound asleep and he'd even caught Ryan yawning a few times! Laura was sitting next to him and looked very tired herself and all of a sudden he realized that this was the first time in a long while – probably a few years – that they would turn in this late! Man, maybe he really was as boring as his son kept telling him! Even his father seemed to have more energy than he had!

"And we're home," he said to no one in particular as he drove into the garage.

Sam immediately got out of the car and waited for Laura to unlock the door, before going inside. Surreptitiously glancing at her phone, she found her battery had died! Crap, she thought, as she'd been planning on calling Jack. She knew she'd had a few glasses of wine too many when she tried to remember what the difference in time was between them, due to the different time zones. No point in thinking about it now, she needed her charger first! "I think I'll head to bed, if you all don't mind."

"No, of course not," Mark smiled at her, "Laura and I are beat too. Dad is in the bathroom already and Amy and Ryan went upstairs immediately."

Nodding, Sam realized she hadn't been paying any attention since she hadn't even noticed her niece waking up. Was this what happened when one was enjoying their downtime a bit too much? She really needed to keep her guard up and snap out of it. "Okay."

"Laura, where can I find a pillow and a blanket?" Jacob asked, looking at his daughter-in-law and gesturing towards the couch.

Gasping, Mark shook his head. "What, no Dad, I can't let you take the couch."

"Sure you can," he replied, "as long as I can get a pillow and a blanket. I don't mind and it's not as if you have another spare room."

"Come on, Sam," Mark prodded his sister, who simply blinked at him. "Sam, Dad is too old to have to sleep on the couch."

Incredulous, Sam stared at the two men. After all the teasing that night, they expected her to sleep on that damn sofa? She had already unpacked some of her things in the room and if she was forced to spend Christmas here – without Jack or his kids – she damn well was spending it in a bed! "Don't worry about it," she smiled sweetly, seeing the relief on her brother's face. "He'll be just fine, right Dad? Goodnight everyone!"

"Sam!"

"She's right, Mark, I'll be fine," Jacob padded his son on the back. He'd recognized that stubborn look in his daughter's face and assumed she was paying him back for his behavior during dinner! In contrast to Selmak, who protested gravely against having to sleep on the couch and claimed she was too old for that after two thousand years, he actually thought it was kind of funny.

"If you're sure," Laura stated hesitantly, feeling like a horrible host to her father-in-law.

"I am, I've been through worse," he reassured her, flashes of Netu going through his mind. Besides, it wasn't like those Tok'ra beds were that great, either!

"Okay," she nodded and disappeared into the hallway to get him some stuff. "There you go," she handed the pillow and blanket to him.

"I'm sorry Da-"

"Don't be," he waved it away. "You two have a goodnight's rest now and let an old man get some sleep."

"Fine, goodnight Dad."

i

"Look Daddy, it's a bunny!" Maddy exclaimed, breaking the silence on the cemetery.

"Where?" Nathan asked, spinning around fast to try and catch a glimpse of the animal.

Punching her twin, she scowled at him. "You scared him away!"

"Hey, cut it out," Jack grabbed both their jackets and pulled them apart. "No shouting or yelling, we're on a cemetery for crying out loud!"

Holding Milou's hand, Ilse led the way, turning the corner at the large fir. "It was probably a hare, not a bunny."

Jack, holding each twin on either side of him, followed her off the regular path and down the gravel leading to the secluded areas which held a certain number of graves. He was never one to visit cemeteries, he couldn't even remember the last time he had visited Charlie's grave. Or wait, he could; it was years ago, when he had just joined the Stargate program and when the crystalline version of him had gone through the gate after knocking him out. The alien had transformed into Charlie and he and Sara had some kind of chance to say goodbye and afterwards he had to explain it all to her. He had visited the cemetery the next weekend and said a final goodbye.

For some reason he had always felt awkward when he saw other people sitting on the grave, grieving for and usually talking to the person they lost. He wasn't the type to go sit by a headstone and talk to a dead loved one. Here, however, things were different. Maybe it was Ilse's influence, he didn't know, but he never had that strange and unsettling feeling he usually had when walking around all kinds of graves. Maybe it had something to do with the layout of the place. It weren't symmetrical rows in a field of grass with headstones marking the graves. The main path they had been following was surrounded by trees and bushes and every now and then there was a path of gravel to the side leading the way to a small clearing of grass with a few rows of graves, surrounded by more trees, bushes and even plants and flowers.

He couldn't help himself but look at the headstones, the names, the dates and the items placed in the small outlined area of the grave itself. Some people had placed pictures, plants, flowers and others had candles. A few graves were covered in overgrown bushes, obviously no one was visiting those…. A gentle tug on his hands brought him out of his musings, coming to a stop in front of two graves; the one of his father and Anna and the other belonging to Lily. The epitaphs were all in Dutch but he had no trouble translating it to the somewhat standard English lines.

"Daddy?" Maddy looked up at her father, wondering if he was ever going to let go of her hand. "I want a rose," she pointed towards the flowers in her auntie's arm with her free hand.

"Oh, right," he let go of her – and Nathan's – hand and stuffed his own in his pockets. It was the end of December and apparently freezing, but it wasn't very cold outside with the exception of the chilling gusts of winds. He had to admit the cemetery was looking beautiful with the remainders of snow covering the foliage around him, as well as parts of the headstones. Ilse had warned them when they got outside that the snow was old and frozen, making it more like ice than actual snow and that it would be slippery and hard if one were to fall. But it made for quite the sight here. It gave the place a sense of serenity, especially with the occasional birds, hares and other small animals making an appearance.

"Daddy, do you want one too?" Milou asked, holding one of the roses out to him, careful not to touch the thorns.

"Sure, honey," Jack took it from her – earning him a bright smile from his two daughters – and twirled it around in his hand, before leaning down and placing it in front of Lily's headstone.

Tugging on his father's coat, Nathan held out another one. "One for Grandpa too?"

Jack smiled at his son and laid the rose on his father's grave. He'd never felt the urge to talk to a grave, so he simply said nothing and waited for the kids to place their roses for their mother and grandparents. He watched Ilse do the same and then she turned to them.

"I'll be right back," she told Jack, before she made her way over to her father's grave at the other side.

Jack nodded and stood there, wondering what he should be doing in the meantime. He'd already read the epitaph three times and he was pretty sure he had the correct translation now.

"Daddy, do you have your pocket knife?" Milou inquired, looking up at him with questioning brown eyes.

Narrowing his eyes, Jack looked into a similar pair. "Yes, why?" He drawled out, patting her blond hairs and making sure her pink ear muffs were in place.

"You can cut those away," Nathan answered, pointing at some of the overgrowth.

Sighing, Jack grabbed the knife, leaned down and cut it away, throwing the weed and other crap on the grass behind him.

"There," Maddy pointed out.

Leaning on her father's back with her glove covered hands, Milou peered over his shoulders. "You missed that, there."

"For crying out loud," Jack muttered as he stretched out and cut the rest away too. "There, all done," he stated in a tone daring them to say otherwise. It had always worked on his subordinates and hearing no protests, he grinned to himself, making a mental note to use that particular tone more often as he pocketed his knife again. "Maddy, don't do that," he scolded once he looked up again and grabbed her sleeve to pull her to his side.

"But it was dirty," she protested, holding up her now-dark gray mittens.

"I can see that, yes," he said exasperated, looking at the once-off-white mittens. He never should've gotten her those mittens, he thought to himself. Everyone knew kids couldn't keep anything clean, especially not something white. But she had pouted and blinked those light eyes at him and he hadn't been able to deny her those little mittens. At the time, he had figured he would buy her new ones if she ruined them. "But you really don't have to clean headstones, munchkin."

"Oh," she blinked at him, nodding, "okay."

Jack glanced at his watch, wondering what was keeping Ilse. He knew he shouldn't rush her, but he really didn't know what else to do here. Feeling three pairs of eyes on him, he shifted his eyes from one child to another. "What?"

Maddy ducked her head in her dark scarf as she kept rubbing her mittens, hoping to clean them a bit and glanced at her twin.

Following her gaze, Jack raised a brow at his son. "What?" He still felt slightly unnerved by the way his kids could act at times, this silent communication of theirs being on top of the list. Thor had told him that it was possible their early interaction with Ancient technology had activated their ATA gene in a way that was still unfamiliar to the Asgard, but considering Jack was the one with the most powerful gene they knew it shouldn't have come as a surprise. According to his gray friend, the children were highly observant but at times Jack felt like they were mind readers….

Rubbing his nose with his sleeve, Nathan shrugged and poked his sister in the side. "Oh, oops," he smiled sheepishly when his Dad was glaring at his sleeve.

Milou bit her lip and rocked on her feet, feeling all eyes on her. "Daddy," she started, seeing her siblings nod at her and looked up to him. "Is Sammie going to be our Mommy now?"

* * *

Frustrated, Sam pressed the red button on her cell phone. She was calling Jack, but he wasn't answering. Glancing at the clock, she realized it was almost 1500 hours where he was and he should pick up the damn phone! Letting out a deep sigh, she returned her attention to her laptop.

"Sammie, what are you doing up already?" Mark asked as he walked into the kitchen and found his sister sitting at the table, staring at her computer.

"I could ask you the same thing," she smirked. "It's my biological clock, after all these years I'm incapable of sleeping in," she explained. Well, unless she had a good reason to stay in bed, that was…

"Oh," he nodded, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "I had to go to the bathroom and decided I might as well make some coffee and get dressed, because I doubt I can get back to sleep."

"Yeah, I know the feeling," Sam mumbled, glancing back to the screen.

Mark moved around the kitchen and turned on the coffee machine. "I'm glad it stopped snowing," he remarked, "I know this is nothing compared to the snow in DC or the Springs," he wasn't sure anymore where she spent most of her days, "but it is annoying."

"Hm hm," she agreed absentmindedly.

"So," he looked around the kitchen, thinking of something to say. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Yeah, just fine. You?"

"Me too," he nodded. "I hope Dad slept okay on the couch all night," he stated, still stumped that his sister had actually refused to trade places with their old man! "I was thinking of boiling some water for tea, I know he doesn't drink coffee anymore but I don't want to wake him."

"Oh, Dad is out already."

"What?!"

Finally looking up from her program, Sam found herself staring at the incredulous expression of her brother. "He went for a walk, to stretch his legs and enjoy the weather or something," shrugged.

"At six in the morning?"

"Yes," she simply replied. She knew her Dad didn't need a lot of sleep since blending with Selmak and that they – her father and Selmak – liked walking around Earth, taking in the scenery, before going back to the Tok'ra tunnels. Not to mention that he wanted to check on the teltac, as he had told her the Tok'ra had come by ship and he'd taken it with him in order to visit Jack and Sam in such a short amount of time.

Mark frowned, still surprised over how she seemed to be so… unfazed by all this. Or maybe it was just him? Just because he couldn't think of any reason to stroll outside in the morning, didn't mean others couldn't appreciate it. Perhaps that was the difference between him and his father? He knew Sam liked to go running a few times a week, preferably in the morning or late at night and she and Dad were definitely in better shape than he was. Maybe sitting behind a desk all day was making him lazy? "Do you have any idea when he'll be back?"

"Probably in fifteen minutes," she informed him. "How is that coffee doing?"

Checking the appliance, Mark poured them both a cup and handed her one. Realizing she wasn't in the mood to talk, he walked back to the living room – and indeed, there was the empty couch – to watch the news on TV, before he would go upstairs to take a shower and change into something different than his PJs. Sam had already showered and he wondered how she could look so good with so little sleep and she was even older than he was!

After ten minutes – and no sign of his father yet – Mark stood and peeked into the kitchen. "Sam, I'm going to take a shower, okay?"

"Okay."

"Oh and could you maybe stop working on your laptop?"

That got her attention, making her glare at her brother. "Why?"

"Well, Laura and I told Ryan that he wasn't allowed to spend any time on his computer because of the holidays and it wouldn't set a very good example if he walked in here and saw you at your laptop."

"But this is work-related," Sam objected, fearing that she wasn't going to be allowed to spend time on her computer for the next few days.

"I thought you said you were awaiting reassignment?"

"I am," she frowned at him, "but that doesn't mean there aren't some things that need to be looked at." She had been looking at the blue prints of  _George Hammond_  before Mark had come downstairs and now she was doing some calculations on the Asgard shielding technology, knowing he wouldn't understand any of it if he were to glance at her screen because it were all numbers and the text that was there wasn't in English but Asgard.

"Fine, whatever," Mark gave up, more than happy to let her be the workaholic of the family. "Just make sure your laptop is gone by the time Ryan gets up, okay?"

"Fine," she rolled her eyes and waited for him to go upstairs before she grabbed another cup of coffee.

"Hey Sammie," Jacob greeted her as he came through the back door. "Get any work done?"

"Hi Dad," she smiled at him and shook her head. "Not much, but that's okay. How was your walk?"

"Good," he nodded and walked over to the fridge to get something to drink. "I see you already made some coffee?" He nodded towards the machine, enjoying the delicious scent of the dark liquid considering that was the only thing Selmak allowed him to enjoy about it, simply because she didn't like the taste.

"Mark did, actually, he got up early and was rather surprised to hear you were taking a walk."

"Oh, I hadn't expected him to be up already," Jacob shrugged. There was nothing wrong or suspicious about taking a walk, right? He doubted his son suspected him of checking on his alien ship and taking it back to park it on the flat roof of the mall around the corner. "Did he go back to bed?"

"Um," Sam tried to recall what Mark had told her, but she'd been too engrossed with the calculations. "I think he went to take a shower…."

"No one else is up yet, I take it?" At her negative, he sat down across from her, taking a sip of his OJ. "I guess my congratulations are in order."

"What?" Her head snapped up and she knew she looked like a deer caught in the headlights, but she couldn't help it. Sam wasn't sure what  _exactly_  she had expected to hear from her father, but this wasn't it.

"On the engagement," Jacob replied in an innocent tone. "Selmak was very happy with the news."

Clearing her throat, Sam cautiously looked at him. "Selmak?"

He shrugged, holding her gaze. "Yeah and she's a great judge of character."

Sam snorted, recalling he'd said the same thing when he'd met Pete – and then later admitted Selmak had already been in a coma at the time, before the Asgard saved their lives. "And you?"

"I just want to know you're happy," he told her.

"I am," she beamed at him. "Really Dad… I have everything I want now."

Giving her a scrutinizing look, Jacob slowly nodded. "That's all I want for you."

"So, you're okay with this?" She asked, holding her breath.

"Well, he can't be any worse than Shanahan, right?"

"Dad-"

"Or Jonas, Narim, Martouf, that ambassador guy Daniel told me about or-"

"Dad!" Sam exclaimed.

Chuckling, Jacob leaned forward and patted her hand. "I know Jack, I respect him. Of course, like any father I would've preferred someone like Daniel-"

"Daniel is like a brother to me," Sam frowned, interrupting him.

"-but I know he would be no match for you. You two are both too much alike and I know Jack, he's a good guy. Has been through a lot and certainly has his own baggage and a dark past, but he can handle you, keep you safe."

"So," she tried again, "you're okay with this?"

"I know Jack would do anything for you, hell, I had never imagined he'd let you marry that  _cop_ ," he grimaced, "and I know that he loves you."

"You do?" Sam gulped, staring at her hands.

"He told me… not that he really needed to, I think everyone who has seen you two together knows that and Selmak made sure to rub my nose in it."

"He told you?" She almost gasped, shocked. Jack wasn't much of a talker, especially not about his feelings and she was surprised he would have told her father about how he felt for her.

"Why does that surprise you, Sammie?"

She shrugged, not really sure. "I don't know, I just didn't think he'd tell you. Wait, when  _did_  he tell you?"

"Yesterday," he smirked at her surprise. "About the same time he asked my permission to marry you."

"He did  _what_?"

Jacob grinned at her, feeling smug for catching his daughter off guard for once. "He asked me-"

"Wow," Sam mumbled. Not sure if she was supposed to feel insulted that he'd asked her father if he could marry her – she was an independent woman, not someone's property for crying out loud – or flattered that he would ask her father, knowing that her Dad would probably appreciate it. In the end, she decided to simply be happy that her father seemed to approve and that Jack- "Wait, you didn't hurt him, right?'

"What makes you think that?" Jacob asked, surprised. He knew Jack and him had joked about it, but that his daughter would really think that he'd hurt the younger man while he knew that Jack O'Neill would give his life for Sammie?

Hearing the indignant tone in his voice, Sam blushed. "Well, Jack said he was afraid you'd hurt him and that Selmak probably knew a lot of painful ways to torture someone," she smiled sheepishly at her father. "And he didn't answer the phone just now."

"He's probably just busy," Jacob chuckled, shaking his head. "I wouldn't want to hurt your future husband, not now that you finally opened your eyes and admitted your feelings for him."

"Well," Sam started, feeling slightly insulted by his comment, but also deep down knowing that he was probably right. "It wasn't like we could do something sooner. He was my CO, Dad."

He shrugged, holding her gaze. "Still is, as a matter of fact."

"I know, but we've waited long enough," she huffed. "Besides, we have a-"

"Oh my God, I can't believe this," Mark exclaimed as he walked into the kitchen, finally having heard enough from his place next to the doorway. "You're having an affair with your CO?"

"Mark!" Sam jumped up. "It's not like that-"

"It sure as hell sounded like it!" he argued, waving his arms around. "Is  _that_  why you wanted to divorce Pete? You cheated on him with your CO?"

"Holy Hannah, of course not!" Sam yelled, getting angrier from his accusations. "I would never do that! How could you even ask me?"

"It certainly would explain why you've been so vague about your divorce, both of you and why Pete didn't want to tell me anything. He was probably humiliated! With your CO, Sam what were you thinking?"

"Now Mark, listen," Jacob got up as well.

"You too, Dad? I can't believe you'd approve of this!"

"Mark-"

"What did you hear exactly?" Sam gently touched his arm, not wanting another argument and trying to think of a way to explain it to him. This wasn't how she planned on telling him!

"I heard enough," Mark barked at her, shaking his head. "How could you do such a thing, Sam? To Pete of all people!"

"I didn't!"

"Please, don't lie," he huffed, waving his hand. "Why else would you break up your perfectly good marriage? You didn't even want to fight for it!"

"That is not true, Mark! There are a lot of things about Pete that you don't even know," she started, but he interrupted her.

"I can't believe this! Pete never said a bad word about you and now you're trying to blame him while you were having an affair?"

"I wasn't having an affair! I swear, nothing happened when Pete and I were together," Sam told him, holding his gaze, trying to show him she wasn't lying.

Jacob jumped in between them, placing a hand on their arms. "Look, let's not fight about this. Why don't you let Sam explain, Mark?"

"What is there to explain, Dad? That you of all people would condone your daughter having an affair with her CO!"

"It's not an affair," Sam said, shaking her head.

Mark simply huffed. "For someone so smart, you can be so stupid, Sam. Of course he'd tell you it wasn't just an affair, he probably says that to all the women he sleeps with!"

_Smack!_

"You hit me!" Mark exclaimed, holding his hand against his burning cheek.

"It's not an affair," she coolly replied. "We're getting married."

 _"What_?!" He gasped, shocked at her revelation.

Apparently, he hadn't overheard a lot, Sam mused, staring at her little brother. "That's what I was trying to tell you."

"You can't get married to your CO," Mark replied. He was pretty sure there was a rule against that in the AF.

Crossing her arms, Sam stared at him, defiantly. "I can and I  _will_."

"Don't be a fool, Sam," he shook his head, still rubbing his cheek. "Why throw away your life, your precious career for some old guy?"

"Jack is  _not_  old," she said, gritting her teeth. "And I'm not throwing anything away! Even if I was, it is  _my_  life to do as I please!"

"Come on, the guy is at least ten years older than you. And didn't you say he has kids? He probably just wants a woman to raise them for him and he's hitting the jackpot with you! How old are his kids anyway? Probably close to-"

"The age difference doesn't matter," she said impatiently. "So what if he has children? Who doesn't these days? Why was it okay for me to marry Pete while he had two kids and not Jack, huh?"

"That's different," Mark rolled his eyes.

Letting out a deep sigh, Sam stared at the ground. "No, it's not! Look, I love Jack and his kids, and I'm going to marry him."

"You're making a big mistake, Sam," he grabbed her by the shoulders. "Why are you doing this?"

"God, I can't believe you," she cried out, stepping away from him. "You don't even know him!"

"I don't have to know him," he replied, shaking his head again. "He's taking advantage of you Sam!"

"No, he's not," she exclaimed, before brushing past him and stomping up the stairs.

"That went well," Jacob remarked after a deadly silence.

Glaring at his father, Mark huffed. "How can you just sit there and not do anything?"

"Like Sammie said, it's her life Mark and she has a right to live it the way she wants."

Mark snorted at him. "Like that ever stopped you from interfering!"

"Just hear her out," Jacob said softly, trying to be patient with his son. "She loves him and he makes her happy-"

"Come on, Dad, you can't really believe this shit?"

"Look Mark, I know Jack O'Neill and I respect him-"

"Dad," Sam interrupted him as she ran down the stairs again, carrying her suitcase. "Just drop it," she sighed as she entered the kitchen and quickly put her laptop in its case, before slinging it over her shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Mark asked, eyeing her warily.

"I'm leaving," she told him, grabbing her coat.

"What, Sam, come on. Think about this-"

"No Mark," she interrupted him, holding up her hand and glaring at him as if he were the personification of a System Lord. "You listen."

Knowing his daughter, Jacob quickly took a few steps back, joining her in the hallway, not wanting to be standing next to Mark in case she'd lash out again. "Sammie," he tried, but she quickly looked at him, throwing daggers with her eyes and he decided to let her handle this.

"Mark," Sam sighed, clenching her fists. "I came here because you asked me to spend the holidays with you and," she held up her hand as he was about to say something, "I decided to accept your invitation because I felt like I should tell you about my engagement myself, in person. I have been trying to figure out a way to tell you for days now and I didn't have this in mind," she waved her hands around. "I did it because I care about you, you're my family. But here you are, judging me and not even letting me explain! While I came here for  _you!_  I could have spent Christmas with Jack and the kids, but I convinced myself – and Jack – that I owed it to you to tell you in person. Well, thanks for ruining Christmas for me!"

"Sammie-"

"Don't Sammie me!" She yelled, shaking her head. "Tell Laura and the kids I'm sorry I left without saying goodbye," she huffed and turned on her heels, opening the front door and walking out.

"Dad," Mark rolled his eyes and turned to his father. "Why don't you say something, talk some sense into her."

"Don't look at me, Mark," he held up his hands in a defensive gesture. "I'm with your sister on this one."

"What? How could you support this crazy idea of hers?!"

"Jack loves her," Jacob shook his head, not understanding his son's reluctance to hear Sam out. "And she loves him. You should be happy for her that she found someone-"

"Yeah, well, she said she loved Pete too."

"Oh, please," Jacob frowned, making a dismissive wave with his hand.

"Dad!"

"Look, I'd better get going," he sighed and grabbed his coat.

"What? You're leaving?"

Turning to Mark, Jacob slipped into his coat. "I better make sure Sam is alright. Look, I understand you're skeptic about all of this, just… don't let it get in between you, us," he frowned, feeling awkward with the entire situation and his role as peacekeeper. "We've already lost a lot of time with being angry at each other."

"Dad," Mark tried again, his tone softer now.

"No," he shook his head. "Just, give her some time and call her, okay? Let her explain before she shuts you out."

Mark nodded, trying to process all this new information. It was way too early for conversations like this! What the hell was his sister thinking, throwing her life away like this? He looked up to see his father standing at the door already.

"Give my love to Laura and the kids," Jacob told him, before getting out as well.

It didn't take him long to find Sam, as she was sitting on a bench at the corner of the street.

"Sammie," he whispered, squeezing her shoulder.

Quickly brushing her tears away with her hand before looking up, Sam took a deep breath. "Hi Dad, what are you doing here?"

"I thought you might need a ride?"

"What?" She asked, frowning.

"Come on," he pulled her to her feet. "I'm parked over there," he gestured towards the building, smiling at her. "Let's see if we can get you to spend the last few hours of Christmas with your fiancé."


	6. Going Home

Looking down while walking over the gravel, Ilse tried keeping her balance as she made her way back to Jack and the children. Perhaps it hadn’t been the best idea to wear her favorite knee-high black leather boots – even if the heel was only three inches high – for this visit, but they were warm and comfortable, not to mention they looked great with her dark gray jeans tucked inside of them and her long purple knitted sweater that reached her thighs. She hugged her woolen trench coat closer to her body as she ducked her chin into her scarf when another gust of wind blew passed, blowing her untied hair in her face. Fumbling in her purse, she grabbed a hair clamp and brushed her hair back with her leather gloved hands and expertly pulled it up and placed the accessory in it.

She turned the corner when she reached the large fir again and quickly padded over to where she’d left the others. Unlike what she had expected, Ilse met with silence. Frowning, she stepped closer and immediately noticed the stunned expression on Jack's face.

“Well, Daddy?”

“Ah,” Jack stammered, looking from child to child and finally noticing his stepsister walking up from behind them. “Ilse!”

“Jack,” she responded with the hint of a smile in her voice, making the kids turn around. “Kids.”

Blinking at her auntie, Milou glanced at her siblings before turning back to her father. “Daddy?”

He swallowed and tried to come up with an answer. He and Sam hadn’t even broached this subject, for crying out loud! Feeling three pairs of wide, questioning eyes staring up at him, Jack shifted his gaze to Ilse who was watching them curiously, her brows raised. He gave her a small shrug before kneeling to be at the same level as the kids. “Look,” he started, not sure where he was going. “Your Mommy loved you, all of you,” he made sure to look at all three of them, before turning back to Milou who had asked the question and seemed to be their spokesperson for important matters, “very much and she would do anything for you, as would I. Car- _Sam_ and I love each other very much too and want to be together,” Jack frowned at his own explanation and caught the small nod from Ilse in his peripheral vision, knowing she finally understood what had been going on. “T-”

“We know, Daddy,” Maddy interrupted him, placing her hand on his cheek as she smiled at him.

“Let me finish, okay honey?” He let out a deep sigh and, seeing her nod, he squeezed her small hand and pressed a kiss on it before releasing it. “You three are the most important thing for me and Sam also means a lot to me.”

Nathan nodded as he played with his scarf. “That’s why you’re marrying.”

“Getting married,” Jack corrected him absentmindedly. “And yes. Sam likes you a lot too,” he sighed and pulled off a glove to scrub his face, before continuing. “But Sam doesn’t want to replace your Mommy and-”

“Why not?” Milou asked, pouting slightly. “She loves us, I can tell.”

“Yes Daddy,” Madison and Nathan said in unison, bobbing their heads.

Shifting on her feet, Milou studied the grass she was standing on not able to look at her father. “We don’t have a Mommy,” she whispered, “and Sammie loves us and Martin’s Daddy married too and got him a Mommy.”

Jack's response got caught in his throat as the soft yet emotional voice of his daughter almost broke his heart. “Sweetie,” he replied and placed his finger under her chin to make her look up at him. When she finally did, she was blinking her eyes furiously trying to keep the tears forming from falling as her lower lip trembled. Jack quickly pulled her in his arms, not able to stand it when one of them was crying and soon the twins tried to wrap their arms around him as well and he pulled them closer.

Ilse had simply been standing rooted to her spot, watching the scene unfold and found herself tearing up as well. _Damn those hormones_ , she thought, trying to get her emotions under control. At first, she didn’t know what was going on but as soon as Jack tried to explain about Lily and him and Sam, she finally understood. Poor Jack didn’t know how to answer and she could tell by his stance, how he seemed to be looking for words and looking completely uncomfortable with the kids looking at him that he hadn’t expected them to ask such a thing and clearly didn’t have the right answer. He probably hadn’t even talked about it with Sam, she mused as her eyes took in the family hug in front of her. Catching Jack's eye, she gave him a small smile and nodded cautiously, but he didn’t seem to understand as he frowned and slowly got up.

Having no idea what Ilse was trying to tell him, Jack unwrapped himself from all the arms and got to his feet. “Let’s go home, kids.”

“But-”

“We’ll talk about it later,” he cut Milou off, needing some time to think about this. No, he needed Sam here; he needed to talk to _her_ about this, needed to know how she felt about this situation before he gave his kids an answer and got himself in big trouble with his fiancée. She loved the kids, he knew that because she had told him several times and he could see it when she was around them as well. For that alone he thanked his lucky stars! “C’mon,” he prompted the children and glanced at the woman in front of him, her head slightly cocked to the side and he recognized the look in her eyes; apparently, they needed to talk as well.

 _Great_ , he thought to himself. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d talked this much. He had probably talked more this entire month than he had in the entire year! Normal talking, conversing, he could do to a degree. Talking about nothing he was even better at, having finally mastered that craft with his work at HWS and regular meetings with politicians. But talking feelings and stuff? Hell no! Yet, it seemed like he was doing nothing but talking about his feelings and all kind of emotional crap ever since running into Carter again!

Not that he regretted running into her, no way! He finally had the woman he loved by his side and she was going to marry him! Now all he had to do was wait until she finally got back – in two days – from visiting her brother. He had hoped she would call, but so far he hadn’t received so much as a text message, with the exception of the one when she’d landed in San Diego! Of course, a phone worked both ways; he knew that, he wasn’t as dumb as he sometimes pretended to be. But he didn’t want to bother her, who knows what she’d be doing when he called? What if her brother answered the phone or something? Sam had told him she wanted to tell Mark in person, explain their situation and he’d agreed but if he were to call now it might look like he was trying to rush her and he didn’t want that.

“Jack?”

“Hm?” He asked, coming out of his musings to see that Ilse was walking next to him and, seeing the trouble she seemed to have walking on the gravel path with her boots, he graciously offered her his arm, which she took with a smile.

“It’s okay, you know,” she almost whispered looking at him out of the corner of her eye as she held on to his arm and brushed shoulders with him.

Frowning, he looked at her. “What is?” he replied in the same tone, not wanting to alert the children who were walking in front of them.

“Sam,” Ilse told him, thinking that would be enough. Obviously it was not, judging by the blank look he gave her. Sighing, she rolled her eyes. “I know Lily would have loved it,’ she squeezed his arm, but seeing the puzzled expression, she continued. “You and Sam, she knew how much you loved her. She’d be thrilled if you and Sam got married and Sam would adopt them, I know she would.”

“Oh,” was all Jack could say, nodding as tried to process what she’d been telling him. “Look Ilse, I appreciate what you’re trying to do here and-”

“I’m not _trying_ to do anything, Jack,” she sighed and, thinking, gnawed on her bottom lip. “I’m just telling you what I know.”

“I haven’t even talked to Sam about this,” he objected.

Smiling at him, Ilse gently patted his arm. “I know.”

“Oh,” he said again, not even bothering to think about how she knew that. It was obvious that everyone but him seemed to know everything, today. “What… what about you?”

“What about me?” Ilse asked, genuinely confused.

“Well,” he shrugged rather awkwardly and gestured from her to the kids. “You’re pretty much the closest thing they have to a mother and they’re as much your family as they are mine….”

Coming to a halt, Ilse turned to him. “Jack, are you asking my permission?”

“I guess I am,” he mumbled, feeling ill at ease as he glanced at his hands.

“You don’t need it,” she replied, ducking her head to catch his eyes. “Jack,” she sighed, thinking of how to explain this to him. “I’ve always supported Lily and from the moment she suggested you’d be the one to adopt the children, I was in complete agreement. No doubt about it, you got my permission years ago, before the twins were born,” she told him, holding his dark gaze. “Genetically speaking, yes, we are both related to them in the same degree, but in every other way you are their _father_ and I am their aunt. Sure, I love them like I love my own and I’d do anything for them, but I am not their mother and I know that, I accept that. You know that, they even know that. You love Sam and I know she loves you too and you two will have a great family with the kids – maybe even some of your own, I don’t know – and there is no doubt in my mind that Sam will be a great mother for them. She loves them too, Jack. Didn’t you tell me she lost her mother when she was younger? Maybe that is exactly why she can get along with them the way she does? She knows what it’s like not to have a mother and I think she’ll pleasantly surprise you when you bring up this subject with her. Just… ask her, okay?”

“Okay,” he nodded, giving her a small smirk before pulling her along again to follow after the children. “I will, when she gets back.”

“Good boy,” she teased him, poking him in the side before walking up to his car. “Okay, kids, time to say goodbye!”

“Why?” Nathan asked, looking up at her with big brown eyes.

“Daddy is going to take you home and I have to get back to my apartment,” Ilse explained, leaning down to hug him. “I have to visit Uncle Matt’s family,” she rolled her eyes at him and made a face.

Giggling, Milou threw her arms around her too. “Bye Auntie Ilse, love you.”

“Love you too, munchkin,” she replied, ruffling the girl’s hair before giving Madison a kiss.

Jack waited for them to say goodbye and thought about what she said earlier, realizing she had made a good point. Still, he didn’t want to force any of this on Sam. Her divorce had only been finalized a few days ago, for crying out loud! Pressing the button on his key, he unlocked the doors of his car. It was a simple SUV, nothing fancy since he only used it a few times a year. He usually left it in the secure garage at Ilse's apartment and she’d either drop him and the kids off at the airport or they’d take a cab or public transportation, instead of parking his car at the airport – which would cost him about a year’s pay, he was sure – or leaving it at his house and not having any transportation to get back! “It was good seeing you again,” he murmured, hugging her as she stepped into his embrace to say goodbye.

“You too,” she replied, before breaking away. “I put Sam's presents in the car this morning, as well as two bags of groceries, since most stores are closed at Christmas and I doubt there is anything edible left at your place.”

“Thanks,” he smiled sheepishly at her, having totally forgotten about that.

“No problem,” she shrugged and grabbed her cell phone. “I’ll get myself a cab and wait inside, you go and get home before it starts to hail,” she explained and gestured towards the darkening sky

 “Don’t forget to talk to Sam!”

“I won’t,” Jack groaned and rolled his eyes as he waited for her to walk inside the small reception area, before going to check the kids’ seatbelts – they’d gotten in the car like good little soldiers – and getting into the driver’s seat.

* * *

 

 

“Have you tried calling Jack?” Jacob asked from where he was piloting the teltac.

“I already told you,” Sam frowned as she replied, “he didn’t answer the phone.”

“I meant just now, after we left Mark.”

“Oh, no,” she shook her head, even though she knew he couldn’t see it since she was standing at the back of the cargo section. “Why?”

“Well, I don’t know his address, do you?”

She opened her mouth to respond, but realized she didn’t know either. As they’d left Mark all she’d been able to think about was what an asshole her brother was and how much she wanted to kick the crap out of him, before she realized her desire to see and hold Jack again was bigger than to kick her little brother. She’d simply assumed her Dad knew where to go since he’d already seen Jack… Then again, that had been in Amsterdam while he’d been at Ilse's and she knew he was supposed to go back to his house in the northern part of the small country sometime today. “I’ll call,” she mumbled.

“Good,” Jacob nodded, satisfied as he took position over the ocean, making sure there was no other traffic around. He was disappointed in his son, to be honest. He’d been so sure that Mark would be happy for Sammie too, but he was too stubborn to see that his sister was finally choosing the right man. Too concerned about his cop friend who certainly never deserved his Sammie. Mark had surprised him with his easy acceptance all those years ago when Selmak had urged him to go visit his estranged son and he’d been even more surprised to find out how well his only son had ended up. He’d been much more mature about everything than Jacob had expected and _now_ he acted like the wronged party here? While he wasn’t even a real participating party, just Sam's brother.

“Okay, I’ve got the coordinates,” Sam told him as she entered them into her laptop to convert them to the Goa'uld system of the teltac.

Glancing over her shoulder, Jacob nodded and set the course. “Not much longer now, Sammie,” he smiled at her.

“Don’t,” Sam held up her hand, scowling at him.

“What?”

“I’m still mad at you,” she replied a bit harsher than she’d intended but she couldn’t believe he didn’t even know what she was talking about!

“At me?” Jacob almost yelped. “What did I do?”

“You just had to bring up the subject of Jack O'Neill during dinner,” she groaned, rolling her eyes.

“Oh come on, Sammie,” he said in a placating tone he used to use when she was six. “I was just teasing you a bit…. Do you have any idea what it’s like to return from a long, covert mission to come to Earth and learn that your daughter did not only return from a different galaxy without informing you but that she had gotten engaged to her commanding officer as well?”

“Well, no,” she admitted, thinking about it. He had a point, she knew that. “It wasn’t like I could contact you to tell you I’d gotten back. Besides, I’ve only been here for a few weeks!”

“Long enough to get divorced and engaged again,” he objected.

“Dad,” she said, exasperated, throwing her hands up before sitting down on the floor. “I didn’t know how to reach you about Atlantis because you were undercover doing whatever the hell it is the Tok'ra do these days and Jack only proposed a few days ago… I haven’t even been to the SGC since I got back from Atlantis and therefore I couldn’t tell you, even _if_ I wanted to announce my upcoming wedding to my _CO_ via the Stargate!”

“Okay,” he nodded, “I guess you’ve got a point there….”

“Gee, thanks,” Sam replied sarcastically. “Look, I’m sorry Dad, I’m just tired and angry about Mark and this mess we’re in now-”

Joining her on the floor – the teltac was on autopilot – Jacob patted her knee. “I know, kiddo.”

“So…?”

“So, I’m going to drop you off with your fiancé and go back to the SGC without telling a soul about my daughter’s wedding.”

“Thanks,” she beamed at him. “I guess you can’t make it to the wedding?”

“I don’t know yet, but I’ll damn well try!”

Smiling, Sam nodded her understanding. She wanted him to be there, to give her away but with the situation being as it was, there was a good chance he wouldn’t be on Earth. “Okay, I-”

They were interrupted by a signal from the console, telling them they were nearing the coordinates.

 


	7. Coming Home

“Madison stop that, you’re getting water all over the place,” Jack scolded her as she splashed around in the tub, while he combed Milou's long blond locks.

It was late in the afternoon and after getting home, they had gone for a walk following the path from behind the house along the water and pastures. No matter how many times he always whined about the trees after stepping through the gate, he sure loved them here on Earth. As a young boy he could play for hours in the woods after his family had moved from Chicago to Minnesota, especially if he went up to his grandfather’s – now his – cabin. He simply loved nature, spending time outdoors and there were trees, bushes and flowers across the path as well as some farm animals on the pastures which the kids loved. There was also a small field, where some of the neighborhood kids played football, baseball or some other kind of game but he figured it was probably too cold for those children now, not to mention it was a holiday. That didn’t stop his little munchkins though and when they’d gotten home all of their clothes were wet from the snow and ice they’d been playing with.

Nathan was the worst, as usual, after walking over the ice to get a closer look of the cows across one of the wider ditches. Jack figured it was his way of dealing with two sisters that he always felt the need to show off – not that he’d been any different at that age. However, Jack nor Nate had noticed the small hole – about five inches in diameter – in the ice as the boy had walked over it, only to step into it with his foot, making his entire leg disappear into it. Jack had immediately slipped onto the ice and pulled him off the moment he’d heard the loud yelp of his son and thanked his lucky stars it was only his leg that had gone into the hole! The girls had snickered over it, but Jack had felt his hair turn even grayer and was sure he’d lost a year of his life! With one leg of his pants completely soaked in ice cold water, Nathan’s teeth were starting to chatter and Jack had hauled him up in his arms and turned to make their way back home.

He had immediately stripped Nathan of his wet pants as they went inside and turned on the shower as well as filling the tub, knowing the girls would want to take a bath while Nathan preferred a shower. Jack figured it – the tub – was a girl-thing, considering he preferred showers as well and only knew women who enjoyed a long, hot bath. By the time Nathan had been washed and warmed up and was only standing under the shower to warm up some more, the girls had climbed into the tub and Jack had grabbed their stuff. Now, Nate was playing with a new set of building blocks he’d gotten yesterday from Santa in the living room after Jack had dressed him in his blue PJs and put Milou in the shower to rinse the bubbles as well as her shampoo. Maddy was playing with one of her bath toys while Jack was combing his other daughter’s hair, both of them sitting on the lid of the toilet seat.

When the doorbell rang, Jack muttered an expletive under his breath and told his girls he’d be right back. With a speed and grace that belied his age, he ran down the stairs to skid to a halt at the heavy front door and pulled it open. “Carter!” he yelped in surprise, not having expected her in the slightest, simply assuming it would be one of the neighbors to wish them happy holidays or maybe someone from a charity or something.

“Jack,” Sam smiled shyly as she took in his appearance.

As a cold gust of wind swept by, Jack realized he was only wearing his dark blue checkered flannel pajama pants without a shirt, because the kids made such a mess in the bathroom. “Oh, come in, sorry,” he mumbled, noticing her staring at his chest.

“So,” Sam bit her lip as she tentatively stepped into the hallway and glanced around. “You’re finally locking the doors?”

“What?” Jack frowned, closing the door and glancing at the mechanism. “No, it wasn’t locked.”

“Oh, I tried the knob but couldn’t open it,” she explained, making a vague hand gesture as her nerves took over. She silently berated herself for her silly nerves, considering that for all intents and purposes they were engaged to be married and yet she felt like she was intruding in his life by showing up unannounced.

“It only opens with a key, the doorknob doesn’t actually turn,” Jack scowled at it. “The backdoor was open, though.”

Shifting on her feet, Sam glanced at the hardwood floor. “Well, I didn’t want to intrude.”

“You? Never,” Jack exclaimed, a puzzled expression gracing his features as he opened his arms. “C’mere.”

Sam didn’t need to be told twice and stepped into his embrace, enjoying his warmth and that pure Jack O'Neill-scent. “I missed you,” she mumbled against his neck.

Jack hissed when her cold hands caressed his back and the tip of her nose brushed his neck, but tightened his arms anyway. “Me too,” he sighed, nuzzling her soft hair. “I didn’t expect you to be here, did something happen?”

“Not really,” she grimaced as she leaned back and looked into his concerned eyes. “Mark just… didn’t react the way I had hoped.”

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, caressing her cheek before leaning in for a kiss.

For a moment, Sam let herself enjoy his lips before pulling back. “Actually, I should probably say that he reacted the way I’d expected, which is why I went there in the first place… to explain it in person.”

“I know,” Jack replied, tugging off her coat and hanging it on a hanger. “I have to admit, though that I didn’t expect you to tell him right away.”

“What do you mean?” She asked innocently, knowing that she hadn’t intended on telling Mark for at least another day, probably would have waited until she was about to leave.

He grinned and pulled her against him. “I thought you’d wait until the last minute, so you could get out with the excuse of having to catch a plane.”

Sam smiled as his finger tapped onto the tip of her nose, punctuating his words. “I didn’t really tell him,” she sighed and leaned her head back. “Dad brought up the engagement when Mark had gone upstairs this morning, but apparently he’d eavesdropped on some of the conversation because all of a sudden he stepped into the kitchen ranting like a lunatic.”

“That bad?” Jack cringed as he imagined her brother’s response, knowing it wasn’t a good one or else Sam wouldn’t be here.

“Oh yeah, he kept telling me that I was a fool and even suggested that we’d been having an affair and this was why I divorced Pete,” she admitted softly, knowing that Jack still wasn’t comfortable about the whole Pete Shanahan-fiasco.

“I’m sorry, Sam,” he mumbled against her temple, squeezing her shoulders. “I should’ve been there with you, try and talk some sense into him or maybe-”

“No!” she exclaimed, eyes wide with terror at the thought alone. “He would have gone ballistic if you’d been there. Apparently, he’s still not over the fact that I married and divorced one of his friends, while I can’t – or am unwilling – to explain exactly why to him,” she huffed. “Besides, Dad was there too. He actually sided with me and I think, in retrospect that only infuriated Mark even more.”

“Still, you shouldn’t have gone through that alone,” he grimaced again as he stepped away from her.

“Nonsense,” Sam made a dismissive wave with her hand. “No reason for both of us to have our Christmas ruined by Mark Carter.”

“That bad, huh?” Jack asked again, knowing she wasn’t telling him everything – not yet, at least.

“Yeah,” she rolled her eyes. “Although dinner last night was… well, pretty close to good considering the Carter family.”

“At least you have that,” he acknowledged, before frowning at her. “Wait, you said this morning? That couldn’t have been more than a few hours ago!”

Sam nodded as she kicked off her shoes and placed them next to some of Jack's and the kids’ that were lined up against the wall. “Dad offered me a ride with his teltac, he just dropped me off here,” she smiled at him.

“Hmm,” Jack said appreciatively, “I knew those Tok'ra were good for  _something_.”

She giggled and playfully swatted his shoulder. “Don’t let Dad hear you say that or he might revoke the permission he gave you to marry his only daughter!”

“Oy,” he winced and tried to gauge her mood. “He told you about that?”

“Yeah,” she drawled out. “I’m not sure what to think of it yet.”

“C’mon Sam, I only did it because your Dad is old fashioned like that, I don’t really think of you as property!”

“You say that now,” she mumbled, before turning away and taking a tentative step into the living room.

“I swear, Sam!” Jack exclaimed, lunging for her arm, making her swivel on her feet and fall against him. He’d be damned if he’d let anything go wrong now that she’d finally agreed to marry him! “It’s just that it felt like the right thing to do, knowing your Dad and all,” he tried to explain. “You know I’m not really good with feelings, but I wanted Jacob to approve of us, knowing how much you care about his opinion… hell, I care about his opinion and I certainly don’t want him and Selmak to kill me when they’d find out  _after_  we finally got married!”

Sam snickered against his chest, before looking up at him with a megawatt smile. “I know, I was just teasing.”

“Oh,” he replied, stunned as she pressed a small kiss on his cheek. “Crap, I should check on the girls,” he stated as he heard their high pitched voices coming from upstairs.

“Where are they anyway?” Sam asked as she looked around the large living room, her eyes finally landing on Nathan who seemed deep in thought while playing with his blocks.

“In the bathroom, I’m sure Maddy turned into a prune by now,” Jack mumbled. “Nate? Nathan?”

Hearing his father’s impatient tone, Nate’s head snapped up. “Yes Daddy?”

“Look who’s here,” Jack replied, stepping aside and gently pushing Sam a bit forward.

“Sammie!” he exclaimed as he got up from the floor and darted across the room to greet her.

“Hi Nathan,” she smiled as he threw his arms around her waist, barely reaching it and she hugged his small body. “What were you doing?” Sam asked him as Jack signaled to her that he’d be upstairs to check on the girls.

“Santa got me new blocks,” Nathan explained as he tugged on her hand to show her.

Sam patiently took place on the floor, next to the sheet covered with blocks as he showed her all the things he’d gotten for Christmas at his aunt’s as well as the things he’d made with the blocks she – as Santa – had gotten him before she’d gone to visit her brother in San Diego. It made her smile to see he was clearly enjoying his present as she hadn’t been sure what to get him and Jack hadn’t been much help by telling her the kids would like anything she’d get them. “So what are you building?”

“Well,” Nathan started, grabbing all the essential things to show her.

As he elaborated on his project, Sam nodded and gave him her full undivided attention, until she heard footsteps coming from the stairs.

“Sammie!” Milou cried out and launched herself at her.

Barely having the time to turn around at the voice, let alone get up, Sam quickly found her arms full of Milou O'Neill. “Hey sweetie,” she greeted the girl and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“Are you staying with us?” Milou asked, not able to contain her excitement, knowing Daddy had told them it would be more days before Sammie got back.

“Yes I am,” Sam nodded, grinning at Jack when the three kids practically cheered – her bad feelings about her brother’s reaction pushed away as she realized that this was where she really wanted to be right now.

“I want a kiss too,” Maddy told her as she was put down on the floor by her Daddy and slowly made her way over to Sammie.

Opening her arms, Sam pulled the girl on her lap and gave her a kiss. “Of course.”

Jack felt his heart swell with joy as he took in the picture Sam made with the kids and couldn’t help himself as he grinned like an idiot. “Anyone want some hot chocolate?”

Seeing the kids all bob their heads enthusiastically, Sam gracefully stood. “I’ll help you,” she told him and grabbed his hand, waiting for him to lead her to the kitchen.

“You look gorgeous, by the way,” Jack told her as he pulled her against his body when they reached the kitchen and let his eyes take in her little black dress, her stockings and black pumps.

Sam, as always unable to take a compliment, ducked her head to hide the blush creeping up her neck. “Thanks,” she mumbled, letting her eyes roam his figure. “You all look… adorable.”

Jack snorted as he pulled away and reached into the fridge to grab the carton of chocolate milk Ilse had put in the grocery bag. “Adorable, really Carter?”

“Yes Sir,” she smirked, glancing at his flannel pajama pants and the simple black, torso-hugging long sleeved shirt he was wearing. “I do feel a little bit overdressed, though.”

“I can imagine.”

She smiled at seeing his lopsided grin, her heart doing somersaults as usual in response as she watched him pour the chocolate milk in a small saucepan. “Cute,” she mumbled, grabbing the carton with the brown colored cow on it to put it back as he turned on the stove. “Mugs?”

“Up there,” Jack pointed to the third kitchen cabinet, only a little to her right. Waiting until the milk started boiling, he used a whisk to make sure it didn’t burn before turning the stove off again and pouring the milk into the mugs. “Can you get that can of whipped cream from the fridge?”

Sam dove into the appliance again and found it lying on the bottom shelf. “There you go.”

“Thanks,” he murmured, spraying  _a lot_  in each cup, before powdering it a bit with cacao powder and grabbing tea spoons for everyone. “Can you take two with you?”

Nodding, she grabbed the last two mugs after placing the can back into the fridge and followed him out to the living room, where the kids were sitting around the coffee table each of them having their hands wrapped around a steaming mug, spooning out the whipped cream. Seeing Jack padding the space next to him on the floor in front of the couch, she handed him one of the cups and placed her own on the table before joining him on the floor. “Shouldn’t you start a fire?”

Jack looked up and saw her waving towards the fireplace across them. “Oh, we don’t really use that. The blocks are fake, more to create a cozy atmosphere than to actually heat the place. Central heating, you know,” he shrugged, pointing at the radiators at the front and back of the living room, just below the window.

“Ah,” she smiled sheepishly, realizing that it was indeed warm enough without the fire.

“But I should probably turn it on anyway,” he quickly added, assuming Sam would like a romantic little fire knowing she had when they were in the cabin.

“Sammie, will you help with the tree?” Milou asked her, as she took in another spoon of whipped cream.

Glancing around, Sam's eyes fell on the rather bare – and most likely fake – Christmas tree in the corner of the house. “Sure, it looks like it can use all the help it can get,” she bit her lip to stop from laughing.

Milou, however, simply giggled at her reply. “Daddy said we could do it after the bath.”

“Does Daddy always decorate the tree on the  _second_  day of Christmas?”

“Yes,” she bobbed her head. “After we’ve gotten dressed from the walk.”

“What walk?” Sam inquired, looking at Jack with raised eyebrows as he finally turned on the fake hearth.

“Oh,” he shrugged, before getting up and joining her to drink his own hot chocolate. “We usually walk around the trail at the back of the house, depending on the weather.”

“I fell into a hole,” Nathan told her, his brown eyes serious.

Sam tried not to snicker at his serious eyes combined with the chocolate milk-moustache. “What kind of hole?”

“In the ice when I was looking at the cows.”

“You fell into the ice?” She asked, suddenly worried something had happened.

“Just with his leg,” Jack made a dismissive hand gesture, even though he’d almost panicked himself at the time. “We had to go back to get him out of his wet clothes and into the shower, which is a good thing considering we’d only gotten back for a little while when you came home.”

“So, nothing serious?”

“Not really,” Jack replied, giving her a sweet kiss. “Just his ego that got hurt.”

Maddy smirked at her twin, before turning to Sammie again. “Will you help me with the lights?”

Realizing they were back to the topic of decorating the Christmas tree, Sam nodded. “Sure, I can do that.”

* * *

 

“It was sweet of Matt and Ilse to buy me something,” Sam whispered to Jack, referring to the Christmas presents the couple had gotten her.

“It’d better be Ilse's idea,” Jack huffed, his eyes going back to the box containing the lingerie. It was a  _very cool_  lingerie set, but he didn’t like the idea of some other guy buying Sam lingerie – even if it was his brother-in-law. Then again, knowing his stepsister, it was most likely her idea especially with the little card added to it, of which Sam had said wasn’t really important and yet she didn’t want him to read it. Yes, he knew Ilse….

Smirking, Sam punched him in the shoulder. “Are you jealous?”

“I should be buying you lingerie,” he simply answered, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her back against his chest. Dipping his neck, he placed a kiss on her bare shoulder.

“If it makes you feel any better,” she replied, glancing over her shoulder to look at him, “you’ll be the only one who sees me wearing it.”

“A little,” he admitted, smirking against her soft skin. “Milou, hit the switch.”

Milou did as she was told and watched the decorated tree come alight. “It’s pretty,” she decided.

“It certainly is, great work kids.”

They beamed at their father before running to the couch.

“We’re supposed to watch a Christmas movie,” Jack explained to Sam, pulling her with him to the couch.

“Really, which one?”   

“Scrooge,” Nathan told her, flipping the channels of the TV until he found the one he was looking for.

Sam snorted as she and Jack cuddled up on the loveseat together and saw Scrooge McDuck on the screen as ‘A Christmas Carol’ began. “Figures,” she muttered under her breath, not in the least surprised that Jack didn’t go for the  _actual_  classic.

“Hey,” he poked her playfully, “it was this or  _The Simpson’s_  Christmas Special.”

“We always watch Scrooge,” Madison chimed in, “in our PJs after the tree.”

“You always walk around in your pajamas?” Sam asked Jack as the kids’ attention went back to the television.

He shrugged, pulling her closer with his arm around her shoulders. “Only the second day of Christmas after the walk in the cold and taking a bath or shower. You can’t mock tradition, Sam.”

“I see,” she giggled, shaking her head. She was definitely overdressed and yet she knew she preferred spending the holidays like this over spending it with Mark’s family.

Jack watched her face as her smile faded and her little frown came back, a sure sign that she was thinking again. Noticing her sad expression, he assumed it concerned Mark and his family, or, most likely her brother’s reaction to hearing she was getting married again, to her CO! In a way he could understand Mark’s skepticism but he also knew the man could’ve handled it very differently, by letting Sam explain for one. Then again, he was a Carter…. “I missed you,” he mumbled, nuzzling the crook of her neck and breathing in the scent of her long hair as it tickled his nose.

“I missed you too,” she replied, kissing his temple. “I’ll show you how much tonight.”

“You’re evil,” he growled against her soft skin, wishing he could send the kids to bed already but knowing they still had a at least two more hours now that they’d just had dinner and were watching the movie. God, had he missed her! She hadn’t even been gone that long, but he was pretty sure he was addicted to Samantha Carter already and would probably never get enough of her.

“So are you,” she whispered back, her breath tickling his ear. “Do you  _know_  how many times I’ve seen this movie?”

“I’ll make it up to you tonight?”

Sam beamed at him, bobbing her head at the prospect of that, barely able to stop touching him and focus her attention on the TV. They were adults, they should at least be able to wait until the children went to bed….

 


	8. Missed You

“I love the house,” Sam said enthusiastically as she watched Jack lock up the door.

“Can’t really take credit for that,” he shrugged as he leaned down and grabbed two opposite corners of the sheet containing Nathan’s Lego blocks. Holding both corners with one hand, he skillfully added the two other corners and lifted the sheet to place it in one of the black boxes that contained the kids’ stuff. “It was Lily’s,” Jack explained as he closed the box and put it back in the rack. “There, all done.”

Sam smiled at his actions, amused by his simple solution for taking care of the blocks. She probably would’ve never thought of it and would just try and scoop everything up until they were all in the box. “Still, it’s a nice place and I doubt you haven’t changed anything here since moving in.”

“True,” he dragged his hand through his hair, his eyes scanning the room to check if he hadn’t forgotten anything before going to bed. “Furniture, the bedrooms,” he mumbled. He had already told her about that when he’d given her the tour after bringing the kids to bed. “Ah, forgot the backdoor.”

“Didn’t think I would ever see Jack O'Neill closing up the house,” Sam joked as she waited for him to finish up. Due to the different time zones her biological clock was still about nine hours behind and despite the darkness she wasn’t very tired. The prospect of taking Jack O'Neill, her fiancé, to bed with her was very appealing, though.

Jack grimaced as he beckoned her over to the door. “I don’t want to take chances with the kids,” he shrugged as he tried to suppress the memory of what happened to Charlie all those years ago. He wouldn’t risk his kids’ safety this time around by leaving the doors unlocked and assuming they’d be safe inside the house. “C’mon, I want to show you something.”

“I’m not wearing any shoes,” Sam protested as she stepped up next to him, “and neither are you,” she frowned at his feet.

“That’s okay, we can step outside on the terrace,” he pulled on her hand as he stepped out on the wood. The night was cold but there wasn’t any snow here as he’d already cleared the terrace and threw brine on it to prevent the wood from becoming slippery.

“Fuck, that’s cold,” she mumbled as she walked out with him. Seeing him raise an eyebrow at her, she mumbled an apology. She usually didn’t swear much unless the situation called for it, but she’d been in the military for a long time – and had been an Air Force brat before that – and had an entire repertoire of words and curses at her disposal. Always thinking of her career, being the good soldier, Sam had watched her mouth while on duty but didn’t have the same restraint when she was off duty. She did, however, use that restraint when she was around children, like Cassie or when she was at her brother’s. Or now that she was together with Jack.

Jack grinned and squeezed her hand. “Don’t worry about it,” he waved her apology away. “I’m sure I’ve supplied the kids with plenty of ammo already. Just surprised to hear you use such language, Colonel.”

“Funny,” she growled and shivered in the cold air.

“No really, Sam,” he chuckled, tugging slightly on her hand. “You never say things like ‘fuck’ or ‘damn’.”

She looked at his face, his eyes twinkling in the night’s sky and thought for a minute. “Maybe not aloud,” she smirked. Not when she was around him, that is. It had always been ‘Yes Sir’ and ‘No Sir’ what came out of her mouth, even if she was cursing him in her head. She daren’t use ‘fuck’ around him, because that had been way too dangerous for her own sanity. She was an adult female living in the twenty-first century but somehow she felt like a teenager with a crush when she was around him and his presence made her aware of her dirty mind at times.

Recognizing the mischief in her eyes, Jack's mouth quirked up. “I’m sure we can work on that – in private,” he waggled his brows suggestively.

“Fuck you, Jack O'Neill,” she grinned, poking him in the shoulder with her free hand.

Grabbing her wrist and now holding both her hands, he pulled her against him. “You may, after we get inside.” Hearing her snort he took a few more steps from the house, pulling her along with him. “Look up.”

Still smiling, Sam did as he said. “Oh, wow, great sky.”

“I know,” he replied smugly. “Not a lot of light pollution like DC, especially not around here,” he waved his hand around trying to encompass the surroundings. The house was big compared to most houses in a city, but not that much bigger than most around here on the country side. Lily had owned a lot of the surrounding property, giving the house much privacy with the exception of some of the neighboring cattle that she’d allowed to graze the fields. “Thought you might like to see the stars from here.”

“It’s beautiful,” Sam gasped as more and more seemed to appear. “Not a cloud in sight.”

“Yeah,” Jack confirmed as he rubbed his hands over her bare arms, trying to keep her warm. “That’s because it’s freezing… the stars appear so much brighter,” he mumbled, watching the words and his breath leave his mouth in the cold air.

Slipping her arms around him, Sam cuddled up to his chest. “Maybe next time we’ll wear proper outfits for stargazing?” She looked up at him, smiling.

“Sure,” he smirked, leaning down to kiss her. “Let’s go back inside.”

With a few long strides they found themselves back in the house again and Sam eagerly stood against the radiator, trying to warm her cold legs. Her stockings weren’t exactly designed to keep her legs warm and her little black dress left her arms bare. “The radiator doesn’t feel very warm,” she mumbled, glancing at Jack who was locking up the door.

“I turned the thermostat down about an hour ago,” Jack explained as he turned the key and placed it on the ledge above the door. “Don’t worry, I’ll warm you up.”

Sam let him wrap his strong arms around her and lead her to the stairs, enjoying the warmth coming from his body. He was only wearing his flannel pants and a long sleeve but since they’d slept together she knew his body was a very attractive source of heat and she had never known him to be cold – with the exception of certain off-world situations and Antarctica. Obediently following him up the stairs, she felt the butterflies in her stomach multiply exponentially as they neared the master bedroom. It was at the east side of the house. Jack had explained to her how he had changed the first floor when he moved in here. Being a morning person he had claimed the guestroom on the east side as his bedroom, enjoying the sunshine when he woke up at his usual time. Not to mention that he’d been reluctant to use Lily’s old room – which was now more of a storage room where he kept her stuff for when the children were older – and had to redecorate anyway with the twins’ arrival.

“Warm enough for you?” Jack asked as he closed the bedroom door behind them. “I already closed the window earlier tonight and don’t really use the radiator here,” he shrugged, waving in that direction. He preferred a cool room to go to sleep in but wasn’t sure about Sam. Sharing tents off world wasn’t a very good indication and they’d only spent nights together at the cabin – where it was already cold enough without opening a window this time a year – and in DC.

“It’s fine,” she smiled at him, touched by his concern. “Don’t you have to check on the kids?”

“Nah, they were tired and should be sound asleep by now, usually are. Why don’t you use the bathroom,” he pointed at the en suite, “while I get everything ready here.”

Sam blinked before looking around the room again. It wasn’t really that messy, not even by her standards and she had to admit she’d expected worse from Jack O'Neill. Assuming he wanted to offer her some privacy, she grabbed her suitcase and walked into the bathroom and heard him move around behind the door. She cleaned up her face, brushed her teeth and untied her hair before combing through the shoulder-length locks. When she’d gotten the tour around the house Jack had carried her suitcase upstairs and she’d grabbed the Christmas present she’d gotten from Ilse, but she’d been unable to unpack her stuff.

Glancing at the box she’d stuffed into the suitcase, she wondered if perhaps she should wear the new lingerie. Normally she’d wash new clothes – especially lingerie – before wearing it since you don’t really know who’s tried it on before and where it has been, but she figured she wouldn’t be wearing it for long anyway. She unzipped her dress, let it fall to the floor and threw it in the hamper, looking at herself in the floor-length mirror. Obviously Lily’s work, Sam thought as she took in the small mirror wall because she doubted Jack would put in more than a sink mirror. Again her eyes shifted back to the lingerie set, which wasn’t something she’d buy on her own but definitely something Janet would’ve wanted her to buy! “I have to try it on anyway,” she mumbled to herself, even if it looked like the right size.

“Sam?”

“Come in,” she called back and waited for Jack to open the door.

“Oh, I thought maybe you’d want to take a shower,” he said when he noticed she was done already. Keeping his eyes on her face, he tried to ignore the rest of her body even if he’d been wondering what exactly had been under her dress.

She smiled at him shyly, not understanding why he always made her so self-conscious especially when she was in her underwear; she knew she looked good for her age, was fit and, more importantly, Jack had already told her how much he loved her body. “I figured there wouldn’t be a lot of warm water left after you and the kids had already showered and bathed.”

“Central heating, remember,” he smirked. “They combine that with hot-water heating here. So, go ahead if you want, just… nah, never mind.”

“What?” Sam exclaimed, curious now.

“Nothing,” he shrugged. “So, are you going to take a shower?”

“I already showered this morning at Mark’s and I’m not that cold anymore, so….”

Jack beamed at her and reached for his toothbrush and –paste. “Great.”

Sam sat back on the lid of the toilet seat and watched him as he was getting ready for bed. “Don’t shave,” she blurted out when he was about to grab his razor.

“I’ve got stubble,” he grimaced, scrubbing his face.

“I know,” she grinned at him. “I like it, it’s sexy.”

He turned and frowned at her. “It is?” seeing her nod at him, he shrugged. “Okay. In that case…”

“What?”

Jack's eyes slid over her half naked body and rested on her legs. “If you’re not going to shower, can you keep those on?”

“My stockings?” Sam asked, looking at her legs. She’d already started to take them off her right leg when he’d been about to shave and now her right hand was fiddling with the hem.

“They’re sexy,” he smirked. He loved the feel of her stockings covering her silky skin, especially the contrast between skin and fabric on her upper thighs. Not to mention sliding them down those endless legs, revealing perfect pale legs with a few freckles and scars decorating them. “Are you putting that on?” Jack asked when his eyes fell on the new lingerie set she’d unwrapped earlier that day.

Sam followed his gaze and once again contemplated what to do. Her current nude colored strapless bra wasn’t very sexy – or comfortable – and while she knew that Jack liked her black silk thong, she could also see the glint in his eyes when looking at the other set. “I don’t know yet,” she replied slowly, getting up to stand next to him.

“Ah, c’mon Sam, it has bows on it!”

She laughed at his whining voice and snatched the set from under his nose. “So?”

“Well, that means it’s obviously meant for Christmas,” Jack smirked.

“Or my birthday.”

He shook his head, eyes still focused on the lingerie. “No, Ilse didn’t know your birthday was coming up until I told her yesterday. Besides, it would be more appropriate for _my_ birthday, since I’ll be doing the unwrapping.”

Sam knew that; it had been clear by Ilse's note that it was meant for Christmas, but she liked to make Jack squirm a bit. “I haven’t tried it on yet-”

“What are you waiting for?”

Rolling her eyes, she pushed him back to the door. “Get out, Jack O'Neill so I can change. No,” she cut him off as he was about to object, “you just wait and see.”

“Fine, I can do that,” he stated petulantly and went into the bedroom. Glaring at the closed door to the bathroom, Jack dropped down on the bed and looked around the room. It was clean and clear; no dirty clothes on the floor – not that he’d have much time to do that considering they just arrived this afternoon – no dirty dishes or cups, the open window ensured the scent of grass, trees and winter in the room, the temperature was perfect, the curtains closed and the door to the hallway locked, in case one of the children would suddenly wake and barge into the room. What was taking Sam so long? Sitting up, he realized he was still partially clothed and quickly shed his pants and shirt and threw them over a chair now that he wasn’t allowed to throw his stuff in the hamper in the bathroom. With only his black boxers on, he rearranged the covers, making sure they were folded on the foot of the bed and lay back on the white sheet covering the mattress.

His mind went back to the woman in the en suite and he wondered if she’d put on the new lingerie. She said she would try them on, but would she keep them on? Would it fit? He wasn’t sure how Ilse had made her choice, because she hadn’t asked him about Sam's sizes – not that he would’ve been able to tell her _clothing_ size, he preferred working with his hands – and Sam herself had obviously not told her. Then again, maybe it was a girl thing? They weren’t that far off in body shape, about the same height, both had long legs and – no, not going there! Jack sighed and started tapping his fingers on his stomach. Ilse's husband, Matt, used to be a bit of a manwhore – Ilse's words, not his – so maybe he guessed the right size? _Crap_ , he so did not want to think about Matt thinking about Sam's size. Right now, he couldn’t even tell what would be better; if the lingerie would fit or not. Nope, not thinking about this anymore.

“Sam, almost done?” how difficult could it be to get her clothes off and change? He hoped she’d kept her stockings on, though. He’d been secretly relieved that she hadn’t gone to take a shower, because he would have had a hard time persuading her to put her stockings back on _after_ a shower. “Sam?”

“I’ll be ready when I’m ready!”

Jack hoped that the door was distorting her voice somehow, making it sound more irritated and angrier with him than she actually was. Probably not. “I know, just take your time,” he tried in his most supportive voice. “I was just wondering,” he thought for a minute, “if I could get you something?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged, he really didn’t but thought she sounded less irritated and maybe a bit more suspicious. “Something to drink or eat?”

“I just brushed my teeth.”

Crap, there was that tone again. “If you want you can bring that massage oil with you when you get here, so I could massage your feet,” he could hear her movements still. She was probably thinking about it, he grinned to himself. “Or give you a backrub.” Or a total body massage! Better not mention that now, just wait for her to calm down first. He didn’t know why she was sounding so… frustrated, he hadn’t done anything wrong, had he? Hell, he was the one lying here, sexually frustrated while she was probably naked in the bathroom refusing to come out! Jack shifted on the bed, trying to get comfortable when his body reacted to the images his mind conjured up.

“Maybe later.”

His head snapped up and he frowned at the door. Samantha Carter was taking a rain check on a massage? Her voice did sound softer, though. “Okay,” he drawled out, waiting for a response.

“Oh, before I forget; did Cassie get a hold of you?”

“Cassie?” Did they really have to discuss Cassie while he was waiting for her to show her how much he’d missed her? “No, why?”

“She called me during dinner last night, wishing me a merry Christmas, but she said you didn’t answer your phone and would try again later.”

“Well, she didn’t,” he replied and looked up eagerly when he heard the door open. _Oh God!_

“Oh, too bad, she wanted to ask if we could take care of Boomer for a while now that she had to pull double shifts in the hospital,” Sam elaborated as she stood in the doorway, smiling shyly. “Jack?”

Jack gaped a few times, his eyes taking in every inch of her body. “Huh, what?”

She giggled at his stunned expression, sure he was almost drooling. “Cassie, dog?”

“Yeah, whatever,” he said noncommittally.

Sam shook her head at him, realizing he had no idea what she was talking about. “Why didn’t you answer your phone? I tried calling several times too, but you didn’t answer.”

Jack leaned up on his elbows, finally able to keep his eyes on her face. “Oh, must’ve forgotten to turn the sound back on. Sorry,” he smiled sheepishly, before daring a glance back at her gorgeous body. “Sam?”

“It’s okay,” she waved it away, purposefully ignoring his pleading tone and slowly walking over to the bed. “I called Ilse instead.”

“What, why?” Suddenly worried he sat up completely.

Sam grinned and stepped in front of him. “How else did you think I got here?”

“Right,” Jack almost moaned. “Sam?”

Looking down at him, she could see his _interest_ clearly and giggled softly as she leaned forward and pushed him back down at the bed. “Yes?”

“You look… hot,” his mind wasn’t capable of much anymore when confronted with the sight in front of him. He obviously hadn’t taken a close enough look of the lingerie set when she’d shown him the contents of the box, because all he’d seen was the bra and panties. The garter belt she was wearing over the panties he’d never seen before and it matched the rest of the outfit perfectly. Nor had he seen the black sheer material that was hugging every inch of naked skin between the bra and the garter belt around her waist. It looked like a corset the way it was laced with a red lace, a tiny bow resting atop the garter belt, but the soft material obviously wasn’t a corset he thought as he reached out and touched the soft silky material. Her skin was warm beneath the fabric and he let both hands slide to her hips as he sat up again, throwing his legs over the edge of the bed. “Turn around,” he mumbled, pressing softly on her hips.

Still smiling, albeit a bit uncomfortable under his intense scrutiny, Sam did as she was told and slowly turned around. She knew she looked good, she had stared long and hard in the mirror before coming out of the bathroom. She’d damn well look good for all the work it took her to get dressed! It was so fucking frustrating knowing that Jack was on the other side of the door, waiting anxiously for her while she had been looping the lace through the sheer material. Or how she had to tie every bow and fasten all those tiny snaps. Not to mention the five little hooks on her lower back that secured her garter belt. The bra had been difficult as well with the front clasp – which was easy – and the red ribbon that had to go around her body, through small silver hoops on the sides and be tied on the front. It was a good thing Ilse had written down the instructions, otherwise she would’ve had no clue as to what went where! The end result was stunning, she had to admit that and it certainly didn’t look like anything complex. On the contrary, it looked as if with one small tug all the clothes would fall from her body.

Jack literally groaned when he saw the pale globes of her ass peek out from underneath the garter belt. It weren’t normal panties, but it wasn’t a thong – like she usually wore underneath her clothes – either, something in between he decided. She had such a good looking six; round, firm, not too big or small and just as soft as the rest of her skin. Plus it fit perfectly in his hands. He let his hands slide lower, skimming the material covering her hips to let his thumbs brush her soft flesh. “Really hot,” he mumbled again. He loved her skin and he had to admit that he loved the idea of unwrapping every piece of clothing – as far as one could call it that – from her body turned him on. In a way, she was almost completely covered from toes to… well, breasts, shoulders didn’t really count with the small straps.

“You have Ilse to thank for that,” Sam teased him as she turned around again, enjoying the desire she saw in his eyes.

“Let’s not talk about her, or anyone else for that matter,” he growled as he pulled her towards him, claiming her mouth with his.

Sam smiled into the kiss as she pushed him down on the bed and he pulled her with him. He ran his tongue against her lips, but she didn’t open her mouth – yet. She was enjoying teasing him for all her hard work. Pulling back, she looked down at him as she brought up her legs and straddled him, leaning back on his lower abdomen. “You look hot too,” she smirked as a faint blush spread on his cheeks despite his cocky expression. “Maybe next time you can wear the special outfit so I can unwrap you?” She asked innocently, running her nails down his chest, scraping them over his small nipples.

“Nah,” Jack let his own hands explore her body; down her sides, over the soft skin of her upper thighs before his calloused palms slipped over her stockings. “You look far too good in ribbons and bows,” he winked at her as his hands came up again, tracing the embroidery of her lace bra. The black fabric was thin and he could feel her soft breasts under his hands, her hard nipples poking into his palms. The lace was see-through but the red and silver embroidery with its intricate designs kept most of her pale skin hidden from his eyes, especially her nipples and even the little freckles. He could feel her heart beat hard in her chest, blood pulsing through her breasts as his fingers lazily traced the decorations on the lace his touch making her breath hitch.

“Jack,” Sam breathed his name softly. His feathery touches set her body on fire and it felt as if her heart was going to jump out of her chest when his nails trailed over her sensitive nipples, the lace already teasing her skin and his touch making her blood race even more. She looked down as his fingers continued the exploration of the fabric, following the red ribbon threaded through the lace where the cup ended over the swell of her breast.  Her fiancé seemed highly intrigued with the design as his eyes were trained on the meager piece of clothing, his hands determined to touch and explore every nook and cranny of the fabric. She sighed, repressing a loud moan of protest rising from the back of her throat when his hands reached the straps going up to her shoulder, keeping the brassiere in place. He had large strong hands with long fingers and she loved what they could do to her breasts, especially now that they were a bit more tender with her period coming up next week “Jack,” she tried again, wanting to pull his hands back to her breasts but he swatted them away and continued his exploration.

Jack smirked when he heard, saw and felt her sigh. Her chest expanded under his ministrations and her breasts pressed harder against his new favorite clothing item. He knew she was getting more aroused by her not-so-stealthily squirming on his body and he almost reveled in the knowledge that he was doing that to her by simply tracing the fabric with his hands. “I like this,” he mumbled, fingering the small rhinestones on the straps, his fingers slipping beneath them, his knuckles brushing her skin until he reached her shoulders. He gave a small tug on the little bows there, grinning at her before placing his large palms on her shoulders. Sam's shoulders were cold, most of the skin – her thighs, her ass and her chest – was cold despite the flush on her face and neck. Gently caressing her shoulders with his thumbs he waited until she scowled at him – she could be so impatient at times – before sliding his hands up her neck. He loved her neck, the long alabaster column, which he loved to nuzzle and blemish with his teeth, secretly marking her, that was so soft and… fragile. His hands were around her throat now, his thumbs pressing almost reverently against her skin. “I love you, Samantha,” he whispered, adding more pressure and locking gazes with her wide blue orbs that held trust and love in them. She really did trust him with her life….

Sam held his gaze, his eyes almost dark onyxes staring back at her and she moved her hands back up his chest. Following the balls of chain from his dog tags up to his neck, Sam caressed the tanned column with her fingertips barely brushing the skin before moving up to let her fingers graze his chin and jaw to finally cup his cheek. She smiled at him as she traced his lower lip with her thumb and moaned when he moved his hands from her throat to imitate her caresses. He would never hurt her, she knew that and yet he still had that… amazement in his eyes when she let him wrap his hands around her throat or trust him when she was in a similar vulnerable position, which in turn amazed her again. Her lips felt on fire when he gently traced them before pressing a bit harder, his thumb smearing her saliva over her lips. She knew he liked doing that, he had some obsession with her lips, always touching or tracing them with his fingers, loving to smear her lipstick or –gloss from them and then kiss it all away. Now, however, he seemed content just rubbing his thumb against them as his other hand traced down her arm, leaving a trail of goose bumps in its wake. Opening her mouth, Sam darted out her tongue to taste his finger before sucking it into her mouth.

“God,” he moaned as her tongue swirled around his thumb and she sucked even harder. Jack couldn’t help himself but thrust it in even harder as he shifted on the bed. His free hand went down to her hip to push her lower on his body. She smirked at him when he groaned and he knew by the twinkle in her eyes that she was enjoying her power over him as she slowly but surely scooted down until her ass rested against his – by now painful – erection. “Sam,” he tried scowling at her but she just sucked harder on his thumb while her other hand scratched over his nipple, making him buck from the bed.

Giggling, Sam let his thumb slip from her mouth, licking her lips. “Like that?” she scratched the hard nub again with her nails, pleased to feel him response in the same way. Drawing circles around it with the pad of her index finger, her other hand slid down his body to explore the rest of him. Finding his waistband she pulled on it, making it snap back in place before reaching behind her to run her fingers over his in boxers clothed erection, making him gasp. Sam leaned forward as she pinched his nipple and grabbed him at the same time.

“Samantha!” Jack almost squeaked, but _damn_ he could care less because it felt so good. She did it again, squeezing his arousal as she twisted his nipple before pressing soft kisses on his chest, her tongue darting out to lick around the nipple and then she pulled it in her mouth, like she had done with his thumb. He ran his hands down her back, enjoying the different textures of fabric until he could reach under her garter belt again to squeeze her soft ass. She moaned around his flesh as she pushed back against his hands. Tracing the lace from the panties his hands went lower, his fingers caressing the inside of her thighs before his hands locked around them, pulling her thighs further apart. She squirmed against him and he gave a lazy smile before letting his hands slide lower, reaching her stockings and caressing the skin and fabric alternatively. He enjoyed the small growl of frustration when his hands went down instead of up and couldn’t help but be smug.

Placing both hands on his chest, Sam leaned up and pressed her lips to his, her tongue tracing his lips before he opened his mouth. Her tongue slipped in eager to meet his and Jack didn’t disappoint her when he rubbed it against hers, making her moan in his mouth. She loved the texture of his tongue, his taste and the way he responded to her. They were dueling for dominance, his tongue trying to slip into her mouth but she wouldn’t let him. She mewed when his teeth came down on the muscle and she felt him smirk when he took the opportunity to thrust his tongue into her mouth, tracing her teeth and gums before wrapping it around hers. “Jack,” she broke the kiss and nibbled on his lip, pulling it with her as she leaned back making him growl.

“Evil,” he mumbled when she finally let go, his tongue slipping out to check for damage while her eyes seemed glued to the tip as it traced the contours of his mouth. Smirking, Jack's hands grabbed her hips as he sat up. “You know, I wasn’t done yet,” he tried in a casual tone, trying to control his breathing as she shifted her weight on his throbbing erection. “Stop squirming,” he warned her as his hands pushed her down on him, keeping her in place as he enjoyed the pressure. One of his hands trailed up her side reaching for the bra. “Maybe I should start unpacking….”

Sam rocked her hips, grinning when he groaned and thrust up automatically. He was rock hard under her and she loved it, it only fueled her own arousal and she did it again.

“Sam!” Jack hissed, his fingers digging into her hip and back.

Without hesitation she pushed against his chest until he lay on his back again and let her hands run over his chest in a possessive manner. “Not yet,” she replied in a husky tone as she kissed his lips, jaw, chin and moved down to his neck to suck at the tanned skin. She loved his neck. Slowly pressing wet kisses on the skin, she let her tongue dart out before scraping her teeth along his jugular. He tasted so damn good, Sam thought as she nuzzled the crook of his neck. His skin was warm, a bit rougher than hers and tasted and smelled like pure Jack O'Neill. Her tongue traced his collar bone before she moved lower, her hands running through the few coarse hairs on his chest and her lips finding their way to his nipples. She knew Jack was getting impatient by the way his hands were running up and down her sides, over her back.

“Crap,” he mumbled, frustrated that he could hardly find any Carter skin. “Sama- Oh,” he moaned when she sucked his nipple in her mouth, the wet warmth sending jolts of electricity through his body down to his groin. Growling, he fisted one hand in her soft locks while the other ran down to cup her ass.

She knew what he wanted when he gently tugged on her hair and Sam relented, scooting down his body, nipping and licking skin until she reached his bellybutton. She dipped her tongue in, knowing it made him squirm as her nails traced the trail of dark and silver hairs down to his boxers, before cupping and squeezing him. Looking up, she locked gazes with Jack as she nuzzled through the trail of hairs, pressing an open-mouthed kiss every now and then until she reached his boxers.

Jack watched her, his breathing shallow in anticipation when her fingers hooked under the waistband. He brought his other hand up her back to caress her bare shoulder while the other cupped the back of her head. “I thought I was supposed to be unwrapping you?”

“Not yet,” Sam smirked at him and tugged at his boxers, waiting for him to lift his hips and pulled them down his long legs to throw them in the general direction of his other clothes.

“Fine,” he mumbled, shifting on the mattress to give her more room between his legs. “I’ll just enjoy the view,” he added as his eyes roamed over her kneeling form at his feet. With the exception of the garter belt and panties, her outfit was translucent and the pale Carter skin visible underneath the black material was tantalizing. The bra cupped her full breasts and, combined with the seductive ribbons and bows, gave him a perfect view of her pale mounds when she bent forward and kissed her way up his legs.

Kissing the scars on his knees from old surgeries, Sam smiled as she looked up his body spread out in front of her. “So will I,” she replied, her eyes dancing over his lean frame, his toned muscles covered by tanned skin and smatterings of dark and silver hair and coming to rest on his straining erection. Leaving his knees for what they were, she kissed, nipped and licked her way up his thighs, the coarse hairs tickling her face as her hands slid up to the juncture of his thighs, teasingly scraping her short nails over his sensitive skin.

Jack hissed at the intimate contact and clenched his fists in the sheets now that Sam was out of reach. He waited for her until she made her way up to where he really wanted that hot mouth of hers and tried to ignore the painful throbbing in his cock the closer she came. He loved how she scraped his skin with her perfect teeth, but right now he was tempted to haul her up by the arms and show her what she else she could do with those. “Sam,” he groaned in a warning tone when she deliberately took her time on his thighs, the mischievous twinkle in her blue eyes betraying how much fun she was having at his expense.

She let her hands glide up higher, her fingertips ruffling the hair around the base until she reached his hips. Caressing the skin there lazily, she inched closer with her face as she scooted up the bed. Intent on teasing him a bit more, Sam took in his arousal licking her lips before glancing up at his face. The intensity in his brown eyes caused an involuntary shiver in her body that went straight down to her core making her blush slightly. Slowly scraping her fingernails down his hips, she traced the base of his cock without touching him and she heard his breath hitch at the touch. Breaking his gaze she leaned forward and slowly but surely nuzzled his groin, before pressing soft kisses on the creases at the junction.

Immediately reaching for her head, Jack tangled his fingers in her blond locks as he watched her sweet ministrations. “God,” he huffed when she darted out her tongue and nuzzled closer to his erection. He was sure he was about ready to blow if she wasn’t going to hurry up. “Sam, for crying out loud!”

Giggling at his frustrations, she dared to look up to meet his dark eyes, filled with desire and lust. Sam reacted instantly when he was about to sit up and reached out with her hand to push him back. “Stay,” she ordered as he rolled his eyes impatiently, tugging on her hair.

“Fuck,” he gasped when one of her cool hands suddenly grasped his erection. His eyelids fluttered and he groaned as she squeezed him.

Sam shook her head slightly. “Not yet, Jack,” she whispered before nuzzling his warm flesh, her nose traveling from base to tip. “I missed you.”

“God,” Jack moaned pulling on her hair at the soft brush against his skin. “Missed you too,” he grunted out when her lips imitated the caress.

Softly brushing his erection with her wet lips, Sam was pretty sure she was enjoying the contact as much as he was as desire shot through her body. Gently pressing kisses on him she let her fingers move in the opposite direction in feathery caresses. Reaching the head, she let her thumb swirl over his slit while her tongue slid over his balls.

Growling, Jack fisted his hands in her hair and thrust upwards with his hips. “Sam,” he wasn’t sure what he wanted her to do because her hand and mouth were setting him on fire, but he also knew his control was slipping already. He’d been on edge the entire evening with her curled against him and then he had to wait for her to change into the new lingerie set, which was – combined with her ministrations – driving him up the wall. “God, don’t stop.”

She smiled at him as she licked her way up again, her nails scraping gingerly over the throbbing flesh before she grasped the base again and twirled her tongue over the glans. She moaned as she took him in her mouth, reveling in the taste of him. Teasing the head with her tongue and teeth she felt Jack buck up against her, forcing him deeper into her mouth.

“Oh, fuck,” he gasped when her teeth scraped him and he drove himself deeper into her wet mouth as his hands pushed her down at the same time. Her whimper reverberated through his skin, making him clench his jaw to prevent from thrusting up. “More,” he ordered tugging on her hair.

Sam wasn’t sure if he even knew what he wanted as she took more of him in, her free hand trailing down to cup his balls and squeeze them gently. She let her tongue twirl around his shaft as far as she could, spreading her saliva over his erection as she sucked at the flesh. She moaned when he thrust into her hitting the back of her throat. Wanting more, she sucked harder on his shaft and scraped him with her teeth, using her nails of one hand to caress his balls and to graze the pulsing vein on the underside of his cock with her other.

Jack groaned as he pushed his hips up, forcing her to take him deeper, watching her blond head bob up and down his shaft entranced. God, she was like a dream come true. Her teeth, nails, tongue and mouth were driving him towards the edge and watching her pretty face concentrated on the task at hand, her breasts pushed together and hearing and feeling her moans and whimpers around him as her mouth pulled on him, sucked him for all she was worth made him lose control. “Christ Sam,” he exclaimed, thrusting harder, hitting the back of her throat every time.

Relaxing her throat muscles, Sam took him deeper as she knew he was close. She moved faster up and down his shaft, harder, nipping him with her teeth, her hands squeezing his base and balls. Her tongue swirled over his slit as she pulled up, tasting and licking at his pre-cum. She loved the taste of him and it made her more determined to have him come down her throat.

Gripping harder on her hair, Jack forced her down again. “Damn,” he was close, so close. Forcing his eyes open, he looked at her flushed face, her blue eyes holding his gaze as she moved up and down his shaft, stretching her lips around him. The image of his cock, wet with his pre-cum and her saliva sliding in and out those luscious lips sent him over the edge, his thrusts losing their rhythm as he started jerking. “Sam,” he tried to pull her up, not wanting to blow yet. Her mouth felt so damn good, he loved her mouth on him but they had plans… “Sam, stop,” he tried to still her head, pulling on her hair but she wouldn’t listen and kept going.

Sam ignored his protests and sucked harder as her lower teeth scraped the throbbing vein on the underside, scraping along the ridges of his turgid shaft. Her hand massaged his balls a bit rougher and she knew he was a goner when he started jerking in her mouth. She moved harder up and down his erection, making sure her lips closed around his flesh as she sucked and squeezed.

“Carter,” Jack gasped, his rhythm faltering completely. “My bows,” he moaned but it only made her giggle and the vibrations through his cock made him thrust up hard as he pulled her down at the same time, his balls tightening to his body as her hand squeezed and rolled them and he felt himself blow. “Christ, Carter!”

Taking him as far as she could, Sam sucked and swallowed as he pushed into her, his semen flooding her mouth and throat as he cried out her name. His hands were pulling frantically on her hair as he thrust into her face until the last of his load shot out and he fell back on the bed. She swallowed the last bit as she sucked his softening cock, making sure she took everything before sliding him out of her mouth. Still holding him with one hand, Sam licked him clean before bringing her hand up to wipe at the corners of her mouth. “Jack, are you okay?”

He groaned and pushed himself up on the elbows to look at her. She looked inanely proud of herself, he thought. “My bows,” he whined and gestured towards her outfit – which was still snugly wrapped around her body. God, she was looking hot. Her face and neck were still flushed, her eyes dark, pupils dilated, lips red and swollen and her chest heaving, drawing his attention to her hard nipples and swollen breasts. She was good, he had to admit that, amazing actually. He knew he should have stopped her earlier, when he still could but it was too tempting to let her have her way with him.

“The night isn’t over yet,” Sam replied in a hoarse tone, suppressing the giggle his remark elicited, as she crawled up his body. “Besides, you’re supposed to untie them with your _hands_.”

Jack playfully scowled at her as he pulled her flush against him. “I know that,” he rolled his eyes, before gripping her chin and drawing her closer.

“There’s nothing wrong with your hands, is there?” She smirked and leaned closer to his face. Their breaths mingled, she could smell him, almost taste it.

He brought one hand up to cup the back of her head and pressed his lips on her. “Nothing,” he whispered against her mouth and slipped his tongue into her. She tasted like him, menthol and pure Samantha Carter, he loved to taste her or himself on her. His free hand ran down her back, looking for an opening of the sheer black material covering it. Reaching up from the garter belt he tried to sneak underneath it, but couldn’t find an opening. “God damn, what is this thing?”

“Relax flyboy,” Sam chuckled and placed her hands on the mattress on either side of his head to push herself up. Straddling his waist, she grabbed both his hands and placed them on her hips. “Why did you think it took me so long to get dressed?”

Jack huffed and let his hands wander over her sides, his eyes sliding over her curves taking in every detail. She was gorgeous and all for him. His very own Christmas present. “Let me see,” he mumbled, grinning as his hands slid down her stomach to rest on her waist. “I think this is where I’ll start.”

Sam smiled, looking down at his hands as he tugged on the bow of the sheer black material covering her stomach.

 


	9. Unwrapping

Jack gave her a wolfish grin as his hands trailed down her stomach, the sheer material tickling his fingertips. “What’s this?” He asked as he felt something rigid under the material at her sides.

“To keep the shape,” Sam mumbled as his hands slid lower and he pulled at the bow in earnest. She shifted on his body to prevent jabbing of the rigid parts and leaned back slightly to give him more room.

Taking full advantage of her new position, Jack smirked as the bow untied and he held the ends of the ribbon in both hands. His hands immediately snuck under the material to touch her toned stomach. “Sam.”

It was her turn to smirk as she grabbed his wrists. “It has snaps,” she whispered in reply to his objection.

“For crying out loud,” he growled, grabbing both ends of the material to pull them apart, making his fiancée giggle at his impatience. “Much better,” he mumbled as his hands wrapped around her waist, parting the fabric.

Sam closed her eyes as his thumbs caressed her skin, his thumbs sliding up and down her ribs teasing her with their nearness as her breasts ached for his touch. Automatically she pushed her upper body forward, silently urging him to continue his exploration of her skin, continue the unwrapping to reveal her body for him to enjoy after yearning for his touch for so long. “Jack.”

His name in a hoarse whisper almost begging him to move forward, made him grin smugly as his hands moved up her sides, enjoying her silky skin under his rough palms. As he reached her bra, he slipped one hand from underneath the sheer material to cup her lace-covered breast while the other moved down her back to cup her sweet six. Tracing the embroidery on her bra he had to bite back a smirk when he felt her shudder in his arms as he lazily brushed over her sensitive nipple with his thumb. He liked being in control in most aspects of his life and he certainly preferred to be in control in the bedroom, but he didn’t mind letting Sam having her way with him even if it left him spent. As long as it meant he could have his way with her afterwards… he knew he was probably a bit twisted, but he loved seeing his kickass Colonel shudder helplessly in his arms reduced to speaking – if one could call it that – monosyllables. “Does this thing come off?”

“With the bra,” she murmured as she leaned forward, raking her nails over his torso. Reaching his dog tags, Sam tugged on the chain of balls to pull him closer. As he followed her silent order and sat up, she claimed his mouth with hers. Tracing the contours of his thin lips, she looked into his dark eyes. One of the first things she’d noticed about him when they’d first met were those intense, dark eyes. His eyes could communicate so many things, changing from chocolaty brown to almost black with intensity. She’d always thought she loved them most when they carried a soft expression of care or concern, but since that night at Atlantis she knew she loved them more when they were black with his pupils dilated from primal lust, yearning, desire and love. The same feelings they conveyed to her now, the ones that still made her blush furiously in combination with that trademark O'Neill grin of his.

Jack held her gaze as he nibbled on her lower lip, feeling like he could drown in her blue orbs. “Then we’ll know what I’ll be unwrapping next,” he whispered against her lips, before slipping his tongue in her mouth as the hand on her breast moved up. Her breasts were spilling from the cups from when she’d been kneeling between his legs, her mouth making love to his cock as she’d thrust them forward with her arms at her side knowing how much he loved looking at her when she was going down on him. So, he slowly brushed the swell of her breast with his thumb in a tantalizing promise of what he’d do to her.

Sam tangled her tongue with his, reveling in his taste knowing she’d never get enough of him. He was a damn fine kisser and she briefly wondered if she’d be able to stop kissing him if the her body wouldn’t need oxygen to keep her alive. It would be a shame to die of oxygen deprivation now that she finally had him, was going to marry him… but what a way to go! She moaned in his mouth when his teeth nipped at her tongue before he broke the kiss and lay back at the bed. Blinking a few times to regain her wits, she wiggled on his toned abdomen enjoying the friction of her lace underwear now that her body was aching for more than just a kiss and a few caresses.

“Oh no you don’t,” Jack barked in a hoarse tone and grabbed both her hips to keep her still. He wasn’t going to let her get off that easily, not before he’d make her squirm as he uncovered all that delicious Carter skin. The sight she was presenting him with was already feeding his slowly building arousal. Her tousled blond locks, flushed cheeks, sparkling blue eyes and scantily clad figure were surely going to be his death one day… Still holding her hips he lifted her as if she weighed nothing and brought her closer to him, letting her body hover over him so all he had to do was crane his neck to reach her soft breasts. Taking his time he slowly nuzzled the swell of her satiny skin, nipping gingerly at the soft flesh spilling from her bra. As he reached the valley between her luscious breasts, Jack let his tongue dart out to taste the softest skin he’d ever felt before.

“Jack,” she moaned again, slowly getting dizzy with the blood rushing to her head as he held her above his face. All she could see of him was some of his silver hair that was sticking up because her own hair fell down her face and she was sure she’d gotten at least one hair in her mouth when he’d lifted her up without warning. His tongue was sliding over her breasts now and she started squirming in his hold, making sure to keep herself up by placing both hands on the mattress at the side of his handsome face. She spluttered when more hair got caught in her mouth, sticking to the last remains of her lip gloss as he let his tongue trail over the lace of her bra to circle her taut nipples. “Stop teasing,” she breathed heavily.

He growled in response and closed his mouth over her still covered nipple, sucking on it as the tip of his tongue tweaked it inside his mouth. Jack gasped when one of her knees hit him in the side as she squirmed under his ministrations and he pulled back, glaring at her face. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold her up as his arms were starting to shake already, he didn’t know if it was from the strain of her weight or his desire but he didn’t want them to give way and drop her unceremoniously on top of him. Making the best of his last strength, he moved to her other breast and lazily traced the embroidery on her bra, before closing his lips around her peaked nipple.

“God,” Sam's eyes rolled back in her head when his teeth grazed her sensitive nipple and her hands tightened in the sheets. “Jack, please,” she moaned as she tried wiggling in his hold again.

Jack released her now wet nipple and lowered her until she was on all fours, her face hovering above his own. “You know, Sam,” he smirked at her as he let both of his hands slide down her sides underneath the sheer black material and rested them at her lower back. “If you won’t stop squirming I might have to spank you,” he swatted her six with one hand to emphasize his words.

She giggled and wiggled her ass in the air at his roguish smile. “Is that a promise or a threat, General?”

He grabbed her sides and easily flipped both of them over in the blink of an eye, thanks to his training, pressing her back in the mattress with his body. “I guess we’ll find out,” he glared at her. Her saucy retort accompanied by her naughty smile had his arousal flaring and he was tempted to flip her over and spank her right then and there just to see what her reaction would be. Instead, he grabbed her thighs with both hands and spread them a little wider so he could settle between her legs properly. His hands caressed the soft skin above her stockings and, slipping his fingers under the garter he tugged on it to have it snap against her creamy skin. Seeing her indignant expression made him smirk even more and he leisurely let his hand travel down her right leg as he propped himself up on his elbow. The fabric of her stocking was such a contrast from her skin and he loved it, letting his fingers trail up and down her thigh, tickling the hollow of her knee before moving up to tease the silky skin.

Moving her hips, Sam tried to entice him to hurry up, touch her more intimately but she knew he wanted to take his time. To tease her, make her squirm because she hadn’t listened to him when he’d been about to come down her throat. She also knew that it wouldn’t have mattered; if she’d stopped when he’d tugged on her hair he still would’ve blown only it wouldn’t have been in her mouth but on their bodies. She knew he knew that and suspected that he simply used it as an excuse to play the dominant alpha male. Normally she didn’t like it when men would take control in the bedroom but Jack had this way about him… Plus he had let him have her way with him and they would both end up satisfied and spent in the end, so there really wasn’t anything to complain about.

“Carter, stop being so impatient,” he scolded her as he dipped his tongue in her navel. Looking up as she gasped, he grinned and scraped his teeth over her stomach. Her pale skin allured him and he loved how the smallest thing would color her skin, loved to nip at it, bite the soft flesh to leave his mark. “You’d think you’re the one who’s doing the unwrapping,” he mock complained as he rolled to his side and took her with him. As soon as she was straddling him again, Jack reached up and kneaded her breasts. She started moaning, her own hands coming up to cover his, urging him to be a bit rougher in his ministrations. “So impatient,” he chuckled, sliding his hands lower until they reached the bow under the cups.

Sam looked down at him, her eyes slightly out of focus with desire but she could see his hands undoing the bow, feel the pressure of the ribbon wrapped around her lessen. His tanned hands were playing with the red ribbon, slowly tugging at it until the bow was untied and he pulled it back through the little hoops. She knew he was drawing the moment out and sighed loudly when he finally released the ribbon and felt it brush against her sides as both ends fell down her body. “Front clasp,” she murmured, barely able to form a coherent sentence as the touch of his fingers set her skin on fire. Every nerve ending was on high alert, the slow foreplay sensitizing her skin in a way she couldn’t remember experiencing with any other man.

Jack let her grasp his hands and bring them up to the front of her bra. He’d seen her unfocused eyes, the way she unconsciously licked her lips, the tip of her pink tongue darting out to wet them and reminding him of what that tongue had done to him only a short while ago. The memory only fueled his arousal and he could feel himself harden as he looked her up and down before undoing the clasp of her bra.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Sam shrugged the straps off her shoulders and watched Jack's face as he slowly, almost reverently pealed back the lace and eventually tossed the bra aside. His eyes darkened even more as far as she could tell in the dim light of the bedroom and she took a deep breath, knowing he was watching her bare breasts.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured as his hands came up to cup her pale mounds. He was still amazed that this gorgeous woman was his and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. He had no idea what he’d done to deserve her but now that he had her – finally had her after all these years of watching her go out with other men – he wasn’t planning on letting her go anytime soon. His thumbs brushed over her hard, rosy nipples as her full breasts lay in his hands.

Her breasts were heavy with desire and so sensitive it almost hurt as Jack's long, talented fingers started kneading them. Moving tantalizingly slow over her skin, his nails teasing her nipples as his fingers tweaked them. “Jack,” she groaned, wanting – needing – more from him.

Taking advantage of her closed eyes, Jack flipped them again in a swift move. “So beautiful,” he murmured as he leaned down to press kisses on her collar bone. His nose brushed over her soft skin and he let his tongue dart out to trace the little freckles that led down to her plump breasts. They had allured him for years as she’d been walking around on some hot planet with only her black military issued tank top and he’d always wondered just how much of that pale Carter skin was dusted with those little seductive spots. Not to mention that mole he’d been obsessing about ever since her robodouble had mentioned it. Now he knew, he knew all the secrets her delicious body held and he basked in that knowledge as his lips trailed down lower.

Sam's hands reached up and she let her fingers slip in his soft silvery hair, guiding him lower. She needed his hot mouth on her skin, his wet tongue and lips around her aching nipples if he was going to keep up this pace. Lifting her hips against his to urge him on didn’t seem to help as he simply growled and pushed her back in the mattress with his pelvis.

Jack growled when she moved beneath him, her stockings brushing his straining erection. He was already wired and if she kept it up he was going to blow way too soon and he wasn’t sure he would be able to recuperate again as fast after the second time. His tongue darted out to taste and lick one of her tiny stray moles on the inside of her left breast before he nuzzled her rosy nipple. Hearing her moan, he smirked against her firm flesh as his tongue first traced the impressions the lace had left on her skin and then moved to the aureole. He tweaked the hard nipple with his wet tongue and took his time teasing her before sucking the bud in his mouth.

Sam gasped as he bit down, bucking in response only to be pushed down again with one of his hands on her hip while the other was playing with her right nipple, imitating the caresses of his tongue and teeth. His nails were driving her insane and she squirmed against her wet panties, wishing he’d hurry up and slip them off but also knowing he wouldn’t be rushed. Sometimes she really didn’t like this trait of his, why did he have to become this patient after all those years on SG-1? She tugged on his hair to pull his head up and craned her neck to capture his lips with her own. Their tongues immediately started dueling for dominance, teeth almost clashing in their passionate kiss.

Letting his hands slide over her ribs down to her stomach, Jack once again reveled in her silky skin. It was such a contrast; her taut, well trained muscles like steel covered by her pale skin, softer than silk. He loved it, he loved that it was his to touch, to love, to lick, to blemish, to kiss. He couldn’t get enough of touching her skin now that her bra and the tantalizing translucent material were gone and he could touch the skin with its little fluffy hairs making it soft to his touch, with its freckles dancing over the pale expanse of her stomach, with its scars telling the story of battles long fought and won. “I love you,” he murmured against her belly as his hands rested on her garter belt.

Unable to say something intelligent, Sam bobbed her head hoping he’d understand what she couldn’t put in words. She moaned as he shifted and his silky erection brushed the skin of her inner thighs. Forcing herself to open her eyes, Sam looked down her body as Jack was pressing butterfly kisses above the garter belt while his hands caressed her in stocking-clad legs. She propped herself up on her elbows to shift her legs, giving him more room.

As his hands brushed the skin above the stockings, Jack looked up her body to see her blue eyes staring back. Her eyes were dark with desire, sparking his own fire, his need to bury himself inside of her. He softly bit her hip as he moved his hands up to the swell of her ass. Jack felt a shudder run through her as his fingers traced the skin peeking out from under her panties and her legs tightened around him. He smirked and let his lips brush the swell of her belly as his hand slid back to the front and he cupped her. Jack gently increased the pressure of his hold as she moaned and rubbed herself against his hands. He let his fingers slide down to the crotch of her panties, reveling in the feel of the already wet fabric, before tracing back up and slipping both his hands underneath the fabric, he tugged on it.

Sam realized what he wanted and lifted her hips so he could slip the undergarment down her legs. Lazily watching him as he seemed entirely focused on the task at hand, she spread her legs as he oh so slowly pulled the underwear down her legs and tossed it over his shoulder. His eyes locked on her hers, blazing with desire as his hands slid up her legs and he leaned down breathing in her scent. Normally she would be embarrassed, but she’d learned that there wasn’t anything Jack could do that made her feel ashamed or embarrassed. He loved her, every part of her and he wasn’t afraid to show it, which made her let go of her own restraints and reciprocate in kind. She had never been this free, this open with a lover before and she knew she would never be like this with any other man. “Jack,” she almost whined as he kept her in suspension.

He chuckled, his hands spreading her inner thighs as he settled between her legs. His erection was throbbing with need but he could wait a little longer. The desire to taste her was overwhelming and he started by nuzzling her thighs. When he touched one of the garters, his hands made quick work of those and within seconds both hands were sliding her silky stockings down her endless legs, pressing wet kisses on every inch of uncovered skin as he worked his way down both legs. Only once he reached her ankles did he slip the stockings off and threw them to the side, before kissing and nuzzling his way up again. As  he reached the apex of her thighs he heard Sam's breath hitch and chuckled softly, his hands sliding under her ass to get rid of the garter belt.

“Five little hooks,” she murmured, lifting her hips as his hands worked on the belt. He hadn’t moved his head though, and she could feel his warm breath against her overheated center. She couldn’t have been more open to his eyes if she were spread-eagled on the bed and yet the only thing she felt was arousal. It was coursing through her blood, making her insides clench and her center throb with need. “Jack, please.”

He loved hearing her say his name and he wouldn’t deny that he loved hearing her beg, either. She was so damn beautiful and passionate, he had to rein in his arousal because he was _this_ close to moving up her body and slamming his straining erection in her willing body. “Samantha,” he whispered huskily as he finally unwrapped the last piece of ‘clothing’ and threw it over his shoulder. His hands slid down her legs until he reached her knees and pulled them up over his shoulders, kissing his way down from her belly to the small patch of blonde curls.

Sam grabbed his head, twisting her fingers in his hair as she pulled his head down and thrust her hips up. She didn’t care if she was needy because, _God,_ she needed him! “Ooh Jack,” she groaned as his mouth finally descended on her hot flesh, throwing her head back on the mattress. He was doing the most wonderful things with his lips as his hands came up to open her further to his eyes and ministrations. “Fuck,” she moaned when his tongue darted out and traced her opening.

“So wet,” he mumbled, his tongue teasing her small opening as his nose bumped against her clit, making her hiss. He smirked against her skin, his tongue exploring every nook and cranny as he lapped her juices. She was so responsive, so wet and he just loved the taste of her.

“Please,” Sam hissed as his tongue circled her clit, thrusting her hips up for more contact. “Jack, I need,” she moaned again when his lips finally closed over the little bundle of nerves, making her buck against his face. “More,” she panted, shamelessly moving against his face as his tongue and teeth came into play.

Jack traced her opening with his nails, taking pleasure in the involuntary shudder that ran through her body as well as the gush of juices that coated his fingers. Sucking on her clit, he thrust two fingers inside without warning.

“God,” she gasped, feeling him stretch her.

He glanced up at her from underneath his lashes, watching her body, her face as she started thrusting herself on his fingers. Her whimpers when he spread them, stretching her even further were becoming too much. He needed more, he needed to be inside of her.

Sam tugged on his hair. “Jack,” she panted as she looked down her body at his silver hair, his face covered in her juices. “Want you,” she moaned as his fingers kept moving inside of her, “inside of me, please.”

He let out a sigh of relief and moved up her body after scrubbing his face with his free hand. “Sam,” he looked at her, waited for her to open her eyes until he leaned in and kissed her.

Jack groaned as her hot flesh surrounded him with her wetness, her muscles gently grasping at his cock as he pushed in deeper. The penetration nearly sent him over the edge as her tightness hugged him and he was able to plunge deeper inside of her with her legs still over his shoulders. His lips blindly found hers again as he kept up a rhythm and she met him on every thrust, moaning, mewing as he pulled almost completely out of her before sliding back in. “Fuck, Sam,” he moaned when she tightened her inner muscles around him.

Knowing that he liked it, Sam did it again as he continued to pound into her, the friction and delicious stretching bringing her closer to her impending orgasm. She’d already been so close when he’d gone down on her and she knew she was almost there and he wasn’t far behind. Moving her hips on his rhythm, she let her hands trail down his back, feeling the muscles work under her palms. “More, harder,” she urged him. He buried his face in the crook of her neck as he increased the pace and slammed into her with renewed energy as she licked and nipped his strong shoulder. “Jack!”

He slipped both arms underneath her to grab her shoulders for leverage as he picked up the pace, using all his trained muscles to slam his hips into her, spurred on by the passionate sounds she was moaning near his ear. The fluttering of her muscles around him told him she was close and he knew he wouldn’t last much longer as she started to dig her heels into his back. “God,” he groaned against her neck, shifting slightly to reach deeper in her body.

Sam let her hands trail down, digging her nails in his six as she pulled him closer on every thrust. Moving her own hips, she ground her clit against his pelvis as the friction and the pull of his cock on her muscles drove her over the edge and she exploded in his arms, screaming his name.




 


	10. Breakfast

Sam groaned inwardly and stuffed her hand under her pillow. She felt like tossing and turning, but she didn't want to wake up Jack. Besides, she had been tossing and turning a few minutes ago and she was still awake. Her internal clock was still hours behind and although she was extremely sated – if she was any more sated, she'd be in heaven – she wasn't tired yet. She really wanted to go to sleep, but her body wasn't in agreement. Letting out a deep sigh, she rolled on her back. Jack was snoring softly, his back turned to her. After their passionate lovemaking he'd rolled them over and she'd cuddled up against him, but her inability to sleep had kept her awake, trying to find a good position to fall asleep in. After spooning up behind her, Jack eventually turned away from her restlessness.

A glance at his alarm clock told her it was already after midnight and she finally gave up. Scooting over to the other side of the bed, careful to avoid the wet patch they'd made, Sam threw back the covers and got up. She lazily stretched her frame and walked back to the bathroom. It was getting a bit cold and she hadn't unpacked her PJs earlier in the evening. In fact, she hadn't unpacked anything at all. After closing the door to the en suite she turned on the light and, after blinking a few times walked over to the toilet to empty her bladder. As she was washing her hands, she decided to take a shower to clean herself up a little bit. Not to mention that she was getting cold; the bedroom wasn't heated and she'd been sweaty from their earlier activity after which she'd crawled under the covers, naked. Her back muscles were already protesting and a hot shower was exactly what she needed.

Luckily her suitcase was still in the bathroom so she didn't have to rummage about in the bedroom with the risk of waking Jack up. After her quick, but relaxing shower, Sam toweled off her body and slipped into shorts and a tank top. She combed her hair back and quietly brought her suitcase back to the bedroom. Her fiancé was still sound asleep, probably tired from the long day. She simply stood there for a while, looking at his relaxed features. He was still very handsome, maybe even better looking with his dark brown eyes, his tan and the contrasting silver hair. Sure, there were more lines on his face since they first met, but she had aged too. Now, after more than a decade they were finally together. Getting married. God, they were getting married in a few days! She would finally be bound to him. Not that she hadn't been more or less bound to him for all these years, but now it was going to be official. He was going to be her  _husband_. She'd be his  _wife_.  _His_ , Jack O'Neill's wife!

For the first time in her life, she felt no anxiety at the prospect of binding herself to a man. In contrast, she felt excited. She'd been engaged before. Once to Jonas Hanson, what had been a huge mistake! She preferred blaming it on her immaturity, yearning for a real family – with her father and brother practically estranged – and her worst quality; a soft spot for the lunatic fringe. After that there had been flings, nothing serious especially not after joining the SGC. From that moment on the only important men in her life were those stationed beneath Cheyenne Mountain and aliens… In a way it was almost a miracle she never ended up having sexual relations with someone from another planet, she thought. Not to mention ending up with a human being on Earth. Well, not that her engagement and subsequent marriage to Pete was anything to be proud of. In particular because she ended up hurting the wonderful man asleep in the bed in front of her. The only man she had ever truly loved. Jack O'Neill was her perfection and she knew she had hurt him badly with Detective Pete Shanahan. She'd totally lost herself in that particular relationship and, looking back, she didn't like her behavior towards Jack or anyone else that mattered to her one bit! She ended up hurting Pete too, but after the way they'd parted she couldn't really feel guilty about that.

Sighing, she decided to stop dwelling on the past and instead focus on the future. Her future with Lieutenant General Jack O'Neill. As his  _wife_ , as a… stepmother? As something to his children, she wasn't sure yet what. They hadn't really discussed that part yet, but she knew she already loved those little munchkins. They had captured her heart early on, totally opposite of her marriage to Pete and his children from his previous marriage. Lola and Tim Shanahan had never really accepted her, no matter how hard she tried. Of course she knew that she'd been new at the whole mothering too, but she'd tried and in the end maybe it was better this way. They wouldn't be as torn up about the divorce as they would've been if their relationship had been of a loving kind.

Sam carefully unlocked the bedroom door and decided to go downstairs to grab something to eat, because she hadn't had anything other than the dinner that Jack had made. She hadn't had breakfast at Mark's because they were supposed to enjoy the meal with the entire family and well, that hadn't happened.  _God, Mark…_  another screwed up relationship. Now that they had finally been getting along after years of hardly any contact other than cards for birthdays or holidays they'd gotten into an argument. No, it was more than an argument. A fight, a fight about what was supposed to be the happiest day in her life. She didn't understand why he couldn't simply accept that she was going to marry Jack. For crying out loud, her brother hadn't even let her  _explain_! He had drawn his own conclusions about what he'd overheard while he was eavesdropping on her and Dad. Luckily, their father had chosen her side and had brought her home to Jack, before making his own way back to the SGC. Maybe even the Tok'ra homeworld.

As she passed the bedroom doors of the children, she couldn't help but check in. Jack hadn't been worried about them, claiming they'd fallen asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow. It looked like he was right, she thought to herself as she peeked inside Milou's room. It was dark in the room, the only light coming from the moon behind the curtains. The little girl was all cuddled up with her stuffed cat, only the long blond hair evidence that it was indeed Milou in that bed. Sam tiptoed around the room, not wanting to wake the sleeping child and carefully pulled the covers up to her shoulders. Leaning down, she pressed a soft kiss on her forehead and stroked her already tangled hair back. It still amazed her how easily this child had found a way into her heart and it reminded her somewhat of her relationship with Cassie. The young alien girl had had the same effect on her, but the events surrounding Cassandra had been entirely different. More pressing, more dangerous once they found out she was in fact a ticking time bomb. With a final caress over Milou's soft cheek, Sam left the room to check up on the twins.

The two four-year-old children both had their own room here, unlike in Washington DC. This house was more than big enough, there were even a few more spare rooms she'd noticed when Jack had shown her around. Nathan's room was next to Milou's and just as dark. The furnishing was pretty similar as well, only more… boyish. He was also lying on his side, both hands tucked underneath the pillow. Sam thought he looked a lot like Charlie from what she'd seen of Jack's old pictures as well as the crystal entity all those years ago and she couldn't imagine what that did to Jack. Granted, Milou looked a lot like him too, but she was a girl, had longer and blonder hair and a completely different character. Nate's hairstyle was different but still quite similar to Jack's first son and he had the same brown eyes and dark blond hair. From the tidbits Jack had shared with her about Charlie, Sam knew that their characters were very alike as well. She couldn't imagine the loss of a child, especially not under those circumstances and she wasn't entirely sure if she'd dare to ask Jack how he coped with it. Not that he'd get angry with her or anything, but because it was such a painful subject and she didn't want to emphasize the similarities between the two boys. Surely Jack was aware of it himself? No need to rub it in. Taking in Nathan's delicate features, she wondered what he was dreaming about that caused the little smug grin playing around his lips. It was one she was all too familiar with, having spent seven years fighting side by side with his father. She ruffled his hair before kissing his crown and walking out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Across the hall was Madison's room, which had a different layout to the other two rooms. She was actually sleeping underneath the window and Sam knew from her earlier tour that there was a small easel to her right, but right now it was too dark to see anything clearly. The moon was on the other side of the house and there was no bed light or anything, so Sam cautiously stepped towards the bed, hoping there wasn't anything lying around on the floor that she could trip over and break her neck. Luckily, that wasn't the case as she safely – and soundlessly – reached the small bed. The dark-haired girl was lying on her back, covers kicked over the edge of the bed and her curly hair splayed over the pillow as her chest rose and fell with her slow breathing. She didn't look anything like Charlie at first glance and not much like her siblings either. Her hair was almost auburn, a more reddish tint than Jack used to have and she didn't have those brown O'Neill eyes. Jack had told her that Maddy had his father's hair, more Irish blood apparently. The eye color was probably due to her biological father and a recessive allele from Lily. But she'd definitely inherited her mother's bone structure and nose, as far as Sam could tell from the few pictures she'd seen of Jack's half-sister. Her personality was a lot like Milou, just as outgoing and curious and yet she was a lot like her twin too. Both were far quieter than Milou at times, no need to be entertained as they were playing with their blocks or drawing. Concentrated at the task at hand, lost in their own little world.

"Sam?"

Startled by the whisper, Sam turned around to see Jack leaning in the doorway. He was dressed in his boxers – at least he'd put  _something_  on – and that trademark O'Neill grin was on his face. She gnawed her lip and waved a hello with her hand, not wanting to speak up in fear of waking the sleeping child. Seeing him nod, Sam returned her attention to Maddy and leaned down to give her a kiss and straighten the covers. With a last look at the innocent sleeping face, she turned around and grabbed Jack's outstretched hand.

Jack pulled her to him, closed the door and wrapped his arms around her. "What'cha doing, Carter?"

"Just checking on the kids," she replied, ducking her head. She felt as if she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar, which was ridiculous considering she wasn't doing anything wrong. "Why aren't you in bed?"

"It was cold without you," he shrugged, hugging her to his chest as he nuzzled her wet hair. "You showered."

Letting her head fall back, Sam looked at him. "Did I wake you?"

"Nah," Jack denied, shaking his head. He'd woken up to the empty bed when she was in the bathroom and figured she'd get back soon. When he opened his eyes again, he realized he'd slumbered and she still wasn't back, her place next to him stone cold. The bathroom had been deserted he found out as he went to take a leak and he'd decided to do a little recon to find out where his lovely fiancée had gone. Not that she could've gone far, considering she had no transportation but he wanted to know where she was and, more importantly,  _why_  she wasn't in bed with him. "Were the munchkins all asleep?"

"Yeah," she grinned sheepishly. He'd been right, they were all sound asleep. Of course he would have known, considering they were his children. Still, something had been nagging at her… She remembered that when she and Pete had been together and his children had been over in the weekends, she had felt awkward cuddling up to him in their presence in the beginning and it had taken her a few weeks before she'd been able to have sex with him knowing they were in the next room. With Jack, she had never experienced that awkwardness. Maybe because she'd already gotten used to it from Pete and his kids, but maybe it had something to do with Jack and  _his_  children. They had all accepted her with open arms and Jack had no trouble showing her how much he loved her around the children – without going overboard, of course. Perhaps that had been the reason why she felt compelled to check on the kids? Because this was the first time she and Jack had made love in this particular house with the children only a few doors down. And it wasn't as if they'd been particularly quiet or anything….

Jack nodded as he looked at her face. "Good…. Now, where were you going?"

"I'm hungry," she admitted, rubbing her stomach. "Didn't have any breakfast at Mark's, only dinner here with you."

"Ah, jetlag," he smirked and pulled her towards the stairs. "Let's get you something to eat then."

* * *

Jack was watching Sam as he quietly got dressed. She was still sound asleep, which was no surprise considering the midnight snack they'd made for her after which she had gone over some of the blueprints on her laptop while he'd crawled back into bed. She might have jetlag, but he certainly didn't. He had felt tired and she'd told him to just go back to bed and she'd join him in a while. He had briefly opened his eyes when she'd crawled under the covers and snuggled up to him two hours later. Now it was a little over 0600 hours and he was all rested, while she still needed her sleep.

All dressed, he peeked inside the rooms of his kids to see if they were awake – they weren't yet, thank God – and went downstairs to start on breakfast and turned on the coffee machine. He'd decided to make pancakes, knowing how much the kids loved them. If he were honest, he loved pancakes for breakfast too!

Jack was almost done with the last few pancakes when Milou stumbled into the kitchen. "Morning sweetie, want some breakfast?"

"Pancakes?" Milou stared at the counter, bobbing her head enthusiastically.

"What, no good morning?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She giggled and threw her arms around his waist. "Morning Daddy! Kiss?"

Leaning down, Jack pressed a kiss on her crown before ruffling the messy honey blond locks. "Ah, look there's the rest. Why don't you set the table?"

"Good morning," Madison beamed as she padded over to her father and sister, her twin on her tail. "Pancakes?"

"Yeah, sure you betcha," Jack smirked as he gave her a kiss. "Go help your sister set the table."

"Hi Daddy," Nathan mumbled as he rubbed his eyes. "I'm hungry."

"That's good," he nodded and watched his son walk over to the table. "I made enough pancakes to feed an army," he joked as he brought the plates to the table and ruffled Nate's hair.

Milou threw the last of the silverware on the table and climbed on her chair. "Where's Sammie?"

Jack scowled at her as he grabbed the cutlery and placed a knife and fork besides each plate. "She had trouble sleeping from her jetlag so I let her sleep," he explained as he too sat down and reached for the syrup.

"Can I wake her?"

"No Maddy, you can't wake her," he replied, rolling his eyes. "Sam will join us when she's ready, I'm sure she won't mind us starting on breakfast already."

Nathan looked around the table before digging in. "Daddy can I have milk?"

Scanning the table, Jack realized he'd forgotten to get them something to drink as he'd just finished his cup of coffee when Milou came downstairs. "Sure," he replied and got up to grab the carton and some cups. After pouring each of them a cup, he started wolfing down his own breakfast, enjoying the taste of fresh, home-made pancakes. It didn't take him long to finish his but the children were all still munching slowly on their breakfast, so he leaned back and waited for them. He loved watching them go about their everyday things, it were the little things that he treasured. His little family… minus Sam, of course. She would join them in a little while, once she was all rested. He still had a hard time believing that he was finally getting what he'd been dreaming of for the last decade; a new chance at fatherhood  _and_  a life with Samantha Carter. Only in his wildest dreams had it been possible, especially those two combined!

After Charlie died all those years ago, he had felt horrible and wasn't sure if he would ever be able to raise a child again. He remembered his parents once saying that no parent should outlive their child and until he'd married Sara and they had Charlie, he'd never been able to understand that completely. After years of working in black ops he thought he knew all about losing people you cared about, but losing his son was the hardest thing that had ever happened to him. He'd never let himself dwell on the possibility of something happening to Charlie even when he was away on missions all the time and had been completely shattered when the boy shot himself. The sense of loss was unimaginable and hit him so hard that he didn't think he'd be able to survive without him, especially not considering the circumstances of his death.

Yet, here he was with a new chance at being a father. Losing Charlie hadn't just affected him but it had also affected Sara and their marriage, which hadn't been the most stable to begin with with him gone all the time fighting for his country. Therefore, Jack had been unable to picture himself with another woman for fear of hurting her the way he'd hurt Sara, let alone have another child with said woman after finally getting out of his depression coming back from Abydos the first time. Then he'd met Sam over a year after that mission and slowly, but surely he'd fallen for her, hard. Still, she was sixteen years his junior  _and_  she was an amazing person who was his  _2IC_. Not to mention how smart and hot she was. Perhaps they'd flirted a little in the first few years, but he never thought she might return his feelings. So the zatarc testing had been a bit of shock, at least hearing her reply after he had told Anise, Teal'c and Doc Fraiser that he cared about her, a lot more than he was supposed to. It had gotten harder after that, in particular because she wanted to leave it in the room. Therra and Jona hadn't helped either. Or all the tough missions, the threats, imminent deaths, the actual dying and – thank God – the reviving.

Then, when the end of the war with the Goa'uld was in sight, Sam had gotten engaged to that cop. Jack had lost hope then, thinking she was finally over her crush on him and ready to move on. He'd tried that too, but it hadn't worked. Simply because Sam was unique and he only wanted  _her_. The news about his little sister getting ill had been even harder to process with everything going on in his life, but the moment Lily had asked him to take care of her children after she was gone he had agreed. There was no way he could deny her such a thing when she was obviously counting on him. That had been the start of his new life; losing his sister and yet gaining three children to care for and raise. They took his mind off his missed opportunity with Samantha Carter and he was grateful for that, at least that way he had an excuse not to stand by and watch the woman he loved getting married to another man. Before he knew it, Sam wasn't happy anymore and wanted to divorce the cop. With his new job as director of HWS and three little munchkins to take care of, Jack hadn't noticed how time was flying or what was going on with Sam.

Next thing he knew, he was in Atlantis to do an evaluation of Sam's work as commander of the base and one thing had led to another… She still wanted him, apparently. He'd feared maybe she simply wanted to get him out of her system after all those years of wondering and working side by side, but now they were finally here. Together. It certainly had taken them a  _long_  time, but they were going to get married soon and be a real family. He, Sam and the kids. And who knows, maybe they'd even give life to a child of their own. He'd always known Sam would be a great mother even before seeing her interact with children. She was an amazing, intelligent, kind-hearted, loving and caring woman, how could she not be a fabulous parent? During their missions off -world he'd seen it with his own eyes every time they met a child, especially with Cassandra. Jack knew that, despite different circumstances, Sam had made a similar bond with Milou as she had all those years ago with Cassandra. After meeting the twins, they'd hit it off as well, they immediately accepted her. Most likely because of Milou's reaction towards Sam, his kids had always been extremely close and reacted similarly towards people, which was probably due them being so close in age – Milou was only eight months older than the twins after all, because of their premature birth – and, according to Thor and the rest of the Asgard, it could have something to do with their ATA gene.

Watching Sam check on the kids last night, as she had watched them, kissed them goodnight and straighten their covers, he was convinced that she truly loved them. She'd be a great mother to them, but how was he supposed to broach that subject? It was obvious from their conversation in the cemetery that the children wanted her as their mom and that Ilse approved as well. The only thing he didn't know was how Sam felt about it. About adopting them, not just marrying him and taking care of them together but officially be their parent and have the same rights as he did.

"Daddy?"

Jack looked up, startled from his thoughts to see Milou frowning at him. "Yeah?"

"Can we play outside?"

He shook his head and got up from his seat at the table. "No, not yet, it's too early. Why don't you three go watch some TV while I clear the table?" he motioned towards the living room when he noticed all three of them had already finished their breakfast. "After that we'll get dressed and go outside, okay?"

The children agreed and went into the living room.

* * *

"Good morning," Sam stretched lazily in the bed while watching Jack.

Turning, Jack looked at her as he pulled up his jeans. "You're awake!"

"Indeed," she smirked and sat up. Crawling to the end of the bed, she sat back on her knees and reached for him.

He eagerly leaned down and cupped the back of her head with one hand as he pulled her towards him for a kiss. "Morning," he mumbled against her lips.

"You know, a girl can get used to this," Sam replied as he let go and reached for a sweater.

Quickly donning the sweater, Jack grinned at her. "So can I," he remarked, his eyes twinkling as he let his eyes roam over her body.

"Had breakfast already?" Despite wearing the tank top and shorts she'd put on after her midnight shower, Sam still felt kind of naked under his scrutiny.

"Yeah," he nodded and sat down next to her, his arms wrapping around her waist to pull her closer. "I made pancakes; they're in the microwave, I figured they would be cold by the time you'd finally get up."

"Ooh, pancakes! Haven't had those in a while!"

Jack smiled at her enthusiasm and gave her a quick kiss. "I just dressed the kids because they want to go outside and with the bad weather I want to make sure there isn't any ice or snow in the yard." He wasn't going to let them play in the field yet, no matter how much they were begging. Not until they were older or if he was there and since he wasn't planning on going outside today, they'd have to do with the backyard – which was spacious enough.

"You're not going outside?" Seeing him shake his head, Sam cocked her head. "You don't have to wait for me, you know. I can just eat the pancakes, get dressed and join you later."

"Actually, no," he replied, getting up. "There's something I want to talk to you about during or after breakfast."

Sam frowned at his fidgeting with the hem of his shirt, realizing he was uncomfortable or maybe nervous about this. What on Earth could he want to talk about? Surely it wasn't anything serious? Maybe it were just the wedding plans, she told herself. "Okay, during breakfast is good. I'll be down in a minute," she made a dismissive motion with her hand.

"Fine," he chuckled, "I'll go check the yard and see you in five."

She nodded and jumped from the bed, heading towards the bathroom. As she entered, she heard him call the children to go outside and closed the door behind her. Splashing some water on her face, Sam quickly rinsed it and applied moisturizer before combing her hair. When she was all done, she went back to the bedroom, grabbed a pair of sweatpants, one of Jack's sweaters, clean underwear and a pair of socks before changing. Within five minutes she headed down the stairs and found her pancakes waiting for her in the microwave. She smiled realizing Jack had heated them for her before taking the kids outside and took the plate with her to the table, which held two cups of coffee and syrup.

"Enjoy," Jack said after walking through the backdoor, kicking off his boots and joining her at the table.

"Thanks, I will," she replied. "You can make breakfast more often, this stuff is really good!"

"Made with love," he quipped, grabbing his own cup of coffee he'd left there.

"So," she drawled, taking another bite before looking at him. "What did you want to  _talk_  about?"

Jack stretched his legs underneath the table and fidgeted with the label on the syrup.

"Jack?"

He grimaced, not knowing where to start since he really wasn't any good with talking about important stuff. "Well, you know…"

Frowning, Sam looked at him and placed her hand over his, effectively stopping his fidgeting and hopefully rescuing the syrup. "Know what?"

"Okay," he rolled his eyes. "Yesterday, at the cemetery," he glanced at her to see if she was following, "something sort of happened."

"What?" She scrunched up her nose and leaned back in her chair. "What are you saying?"

"The kids, they mentioned something," he shrugged, again reaching for the syrup.

Snatching the bottle of syrup Sam held it in her hands. "What did they say, Jack?"

"They asked me something." He took a deep breath before looking her in the eye. "They wanted to know if… well, if you'd be their Mommy now." There, he'd said it!

She gasped, not expecting that in the slightest! Gaping a few times she tried to find the words.

"Look, it's okay if this is too much for you," Jack hastily continued seeing her dumbfounded expression.

"No, that's not it, it's just-"

"Or too soon," he interrupted her, holding both hands up, palms facing upwards in surrender. "I'd understand, so just-"

"Jack!" Sam exclaimed, waiting for him to look at her. Holding his gaze, she gave him a little smile. "It's not that I don't want to… let me finish," she scowled and held up her hand, "I just hadn't expected it. Not so soon, but yes."

"Huh?"

Rolling her eyes at him, Sam leaned forward and grabbed his hand, linking their fingers. "I'd love to be their Mommy," she beamed at him. "I told you Jack, I love them and I want us to be a family!"

"You sure?" He narrowed his eyes at her, wanting her to be certain. "I mean, it's not a dog or something we're talking about. If you're going to adopt them it's for life, ya know?"

"Of course I know," she said slowly, resisting the urge to smack him. As if she wouldn't understand that! "I'm planning on us spending the rest of our lives together, Jack."

"Good," he grinned, squeezing her hand. "So am I. It's just, you know, it took you two weeks to accept the  _cop's_ pro-"

"Argh," Sam exclaimed, digging her nails in his hand. "You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"

Jack chuckled at her exasperation and shrugged casually. "Oh, I don't know," he smirked. "I might remind you every now and then."

"Whatever Jack," she sighed and cocked her head. "Just know that I love  _you_  and I want  _us_  to be a family. Let's not dwell on the past, on all the mistakes we've made and the time we've missed out on. We're here now and I'm not planning to let you go anytime soon!"

"Yes, Ma'am!"


	11. Birthday Girl

Sam lazily rolled on her back and reached out her hand to encounter… cold sheets. Slowly opening a sleepy eye she realized Jack had already gotten up and a glance at the alarm clock told her it was almost 0700 hours; she was sleeping in! It was quiet in the room, no sounds coming from the en suite or the children's rooms. She knew she should get out, but closing her eye again she decided to just slumber a bit more; let her body rest for a little while longer.

Yesterday had been a busy day as Jack had taken them all into town to do groceries and shopping, because he wanted to buy her a present – she just didn't know what she wanted, because she already had everything her heart desired – and he finally gave up when the shops were starting to close. They had also contacted her old friend, Emma Reed, in order to get information about the adoption procedure. Emma had been surprised to hear from Sam, even though they had promised to keep in touch a few weeks ago, especially after she'd been told  _why_  they contacted her. After all, Emma had been the one to finalize her divorce papers from Pete not so long ago!

When that had been done she and Jack had taken the kids outside in the field and made a couple of snowmen and snow angels – Sam had been surprised to learn that the kids had never made snow angels before – despite the lack of good snow. In the end, Nathan had somehow been able to make her promise that she would help him make an igloo when they got back to the United States since she had told them that the snow here wasn't of good enough quality. It didn't matter though, they all had great fun – she couldn't remember the last time she'd played around in the snow – and before long they had to get inside because it was getting dark as the evening fell. Jack had made macaroni and cheese while she'd helped the kids shower and get dressed in their PJs because their clothes had gotten wet in the snow. Luckily, the children hadn't given her any trouble – she had never helped them shower before – and soon they'd all been hanging on the couch watching a movie with their bellies stuffed from dinner.

After bringing them to bed, Jack and she had talked a bit more about their wedding plans and the unofficial guest list. They couldn't send invitation without tipping anyone off even if they knew those people could be trusted. It wasn't fair they had to go through all this trouble to get married! She hadn't even been able to come up with an idea to inform her father of the date – let alone arrange him being there to walk her down the aisle – since they couldn't use the Stargate to contact the Tok'ra without informing Landry. Jack had said they could trust Hank, but they also knew that telling him would mean informing a USAF general that they were breaking the frat regs with their plan, which meant that he was obligated to inform his superiors. Meaning the President of the United States, considering Jack was his superior as director of HWS but was one of the parties involved. The excitement of planning their wedding had faded with the realization and made her almost gloomy. Not to mention that her brother wouldn't be there, because he disagreed with her over… Well, about everything concerning her life apparently.

Jack had sensed her mood and taken her upstairs with him to take a hot bath together. He'd apparently planned it because there were two glasses and a bottle of champagne waiting for them on the counter and he had slowly started stripping her as the tub was filling up with water and lots of bubbles. She'd stepped in, watched him strip and scooted over to make room in the large bathtub and had leaned back against his chest as he had poured them both a glass full of bubbly. The bath had relaxed as well as aroused her with Jack sensually lathering and massaging her body. She hadn't been keeping track of time but eventually the water had cooled off and he'd sprayed her off under the shower before wrapping her in a towel and sending her to the bedroom. Within minutes he'd joined her, also wearing nothing but a towel and carrying the bottle of champagne and their empty glasses. When they had reclined on the bed and he emptied the bottle in their glasses, he'd wanted to make a toast he told her. Sam had been puzzled until she had noticed the time out of the corner of her eye. It was past midnight, meaning it was the 29th of December; her birthday.

"Rise and shine, birthday girl!"

Sam stifled a giggle when she heard Jack's voice coming from the doorway and kept her eyes closed. She was still tired and sated from the way he'd decided to congratulate her last night – or, early in the morning, she should say.

"Happy birthday!"

She finally opened her eyes at the excited voices of the kids and groaned when they jumped on top of the bed – and her. "Good morning," she mumbled, trying to sit up.

"Breakfast in bed," Jack smirked as he carried the large tray over to the bed.

Sam rearranged the pillows against the headboard and leaned back so Jack could place the tray on the mattress, across her legs. She didn't even know he had one of those but it sure was handy. "Wow, you're spoiling me."

"Nah-uh," Milou shook her head and cuddled up next to her. "It's only once a year!"

Jack chuckled and crawled on the mattress, on his fiancée's other side. "Happy birthday, Sam," he murmured in her ear before giving her a soft kiss. "Now, let's eat."

"Don't tell me this is all for me," she exclaimed, gesturing towards the filled tray. It was large and probably intended for two people to enjoy a breakfast in bed. No way that she could eat all this!

"No, for us too," Maddy smirked and reached for the toast.

"I figured we might as well all have breakfast in bed," Jack shrugged as he laid one arm around Sam's shoulders and reached out to grab his cup of coffee with the other.

She smiled, cuddled closer to him and sipped from her own cup. "I didn't even hear you guys get up."

"Daddy said we had to be really quiet," Nathan whispered conspiratorially. "Look, I made this for you."

Sam leaned towards him and accepted the little package, surprised that he'd gotten something for her at all. "Thank you, Nathan," she mumbled as she slowly unwrapped the paper. It was a small paper notebook with a spiral binding on the side. Curious, Sam opened the cover to look what was inside and chuckled.

"Daddy helped me," he explained, looking up to her. "He said you were a terri-"

"Ah," Jack interrupted him, "I said you weren't very  _good_  at cooking," he elaborated, before his son would repeat what he'd said to him.

"So you made a personal cookbook for me?" She snorted and playfully swatted his shoulder. He was right; she was a lousy cook, with the exception of certain dishes – she made a mean soufflé – and treats. She wasn't offended at all, but she was very amused by the present. "This is really sweet of you, Nate," she told the boy and ruffled his hair.

"I picked them out myself," he beamed at her.

"I helped him too," Milou piped up. She had been the one to cut out all the recipes, after all.

Jack smirked and glanced at the pages where the little book was opened. "Yeah, they've been going at it for a few days whenever you weren't looking," he told Sam. "Put in all of their favorites, just to make sure you'll feed them properly." He chuckled, remembering all of the recipes they had shown him to ask what they were. Milou was a smart little girl and was learning the basics of reading already, but she wasn't able to read something like this yet – only some of the small books they had at school. The work had actually made him hungry, reading all the dishes and telling the kids whether or not they'd had that before. And all the glue he'd had to scrape off the table….

"It's very sweet of all of you," Sam said again, smiling at the children as she placed the book on her nightstand and grabbed a slice of toast.

Maddy patted her leg to get her attention. "I made you something, too," she said shyly and offered her drawing.

Quickly swallowing, Sam accepted it. "It's beautiful," she mumbled, looking at the stick figures that seemed to be celebrating if their party hats were anything to go by. "Thank you, Maddy," she smiled.

"This is from me," Milou said, reaching behind her to grab her gift.

"Look," Jack murmured and pointed at what Maddy had told him to write in the corner of the drawing, while Sam was examining the wrapped gift his other daughter had handed her.

Sam glanced at the corner as her hands automatically unwrapped the other present. "Oh," she gasped, reading the words. "That is so sweet." They had told the children yesterday about Sam wanting to adopt them if they were okay with that. Of course, as they had expected after them asking Jack in the cemetery the kids had been very enthusiastic and happy about it. She hadn't expected them to adapt so quickly though, Sam mused as she brushed over the words ' _Happy birthday, Mommy.'_

"What about mine?" Milou asked impatiently waiting for her focus to go back to her gift.

"Sorry sweetie," Sam replied after clearing her throat and tore away the last of the wrapping to unveil a white mug – that looked suspiciously like the mugs Jack had in the kitchen cabinets – decorated with paint. It had balloons on them, the word ' _Mommy_ ' and a big ' _40_ ' on the other side. Although she could do without the mention of her age, Sam had a hard time expressing in words how much the gifts meant to her. "That is so sweet," she heard herself say again as she leaned down and hugged the girl.

* * *

"I'm stuffed," Sam groaned as she leaned back in the couch.

"I told you not to eat so much cake," Jack grinned as he rubbed her stomach.

She glared at him. "You ate at least three slices, while I only had one and a half."

"But I'm a pro," he quipped, chuckling.

"Daddy's right," Milou told her, "he eats lots of cake."

"I know," she sighed and patted his stomach. "Daddy should watch it before he becomes a chubby desk-flying general."

"Hey, I resent that; I'm not fat," Jack exclaimed, slightly offended. He knew he was in good physical condition, probably thanks to all his years in the AF and running after the children for the last few years. Oh and perhaps the blending with that snake and all the time in the sarcophagus had helped him out too.

"Not yet," Sam smirked as she brought their empty plates to the kitchen and walked back to plop on the couch.

"I get plenty of exercise," Jack objected. "I even work out in the gym, for crying out loud."

"I know," she replied, "I'm just teasing."

"Well, watch it, Colonel," he mock glared at her.

"But it is Mommy's birthday, Daddy," Madison chimed in from the kitchen table. "You always say we can do whatever we want when it's our birthday."

Sam laughed and stuck out her tongue at Jack. "Yes Jack, it's my  _birthday_!"

"I know," he replied. "Why don't you kids go get ready before Thor comes to pick you up," Jack ushered them to their rooms, knowing they still had to pack their little backpacks. "You know, Sam," he whispered in her ear, "I can think of a lot more useful and pleasant things you can do with that tongue."

"You perv," she chuckled and got up again. "I'll go help them pack up."

"You sure you don't mind?" he asked again.

Sam turned to face him and shook her head. "No, you had no idea that Thor was going to be early for his regular checkup on the children. And I don't think Asgard celebrate birthdays."

"Okay," he nodded. "Then at least let me take you out to dinner, since he's going to be watching the kids anyway."

"Dinner?"

"Yes, you know, fancy restaurant, good food, candle-lit dinner…."

"Fine Jack, you may take me out to dinner."

"Sweet." He smirked, followed her upstairs and went into Milou's room while Sam went to check on the twins. "So, do you have your things?"

"Yes Daddy," Milou bobbed her head and showed him her pack. "Can I contact Thor?"

"The twins are ready to go," Sam walked into Milou's room.

Jack waved towards Milou's pack, having seen the communication device in there. "By all means, tell him you're ready."

* * *

"Greetings O'Neill."

"Thor, buddy," Jack exclaimed when he realized he was standing aboard  _Samantha Carter_.

"Colonel Carter I am pleased to see you again," Thor intoned, bowing his head slightly in greeting.

"Good to see you too, Thor," Sam replied, frowning. "Where are the children?"

"I have brought them aboard in their special quarters."

Jack noticed her puzzled expression and tried to explain. "Ah, you see, Thor has this sort of playroom for them to observe their physical condition and… other stuff."

"Indeed," Thor confirmed as he padded over to his consoles.

"So Thor," Jack started, following him, "are you keeping the kids here until tomorrow? I know you had planned a twenty-four-hour visit but that isn't due in a couple of days."

Looking up at the human, Thor blinked. "I must apologize, O'Neill. The Asgard High Council has requested the presence of Heimdall and the  _Samantha Carter_  to transfer several experiments from Orilla to another planet in our galaxy."

Intrigued, Sam took a step closer to the two… men. "Why? Are you going to build a new lab for Heimdall to continue the research into your cloning problem?"

"And you want to use the new data from the kids?" Jack guessed, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

"Indeed, Colonel Carter is correct," Thor responded as he moved around some of the stones on the console. "As for the children; they will not be harmed, O'Neill. The experiments are similar to what they had done during previous visits."

"Okay," he nodded, believing that his buddy wouldn't lie about such a thing. "So, which planet?"

Thor turned around to face the two humans – both famous among the Asgard for their own specific qualities as well as their work as members of SG-1 – and blinked a couple of times with his large eyes. "It has not yet been named."

"Oh, well, I'm sure you'll come up with something," he shrugged. "As for the kids; you'll bring them back in twenty-three hours?"

"I will. Do you have other matters to attend or will you be staying?"

"Nope, I'm taking Carter out for dinner," he smirked and threw his arm around her waist. "It's her birthday, you know."

Thor slowly nodded as he conjured up the information he had on Colonel Samantha Carter. "I am aware of the date."

"Wow," Sam exclaimed, worming out of Jack's hold. "You have all that information on me? This must be even bigger than my file at the AF."

"Not really," Jack automatically replied. "Ah, well, the one for the AF is without your medical records; combined it would probably be around the same size," he explained at her frown. As her CO he'd had access to her file for years but after climbing the ranks and ending up as the director of HWS he actually had access to  _all_  of her files. Knowing how spectacular she was, it was pretty much what he'd expected despite the fact that she was relatively young.

"My latest scans detect an anomaly," Thor announced, ignoring his companions as his attention was focused on the screen in front of him.

Jack automatically leaned closer to glance at the screen. He wasn't very fluent in Asgard, though and couldn't exactly make out what it said. "What scans?"

"From the planet or orbit?" Sam asked, squinting at the screen. She gasped when she realized what it said at the same time that Thor answered.

"From you, Colonel Carter."

Anxious, Jack turned towards the gray alien. "What kind of anomaly?"

"Wait, you were scanning me? Why?" she demanded, ignoring Jack's question.

Thor straightened and turned to face them. "It is standard procedure, Colonel Carter-"

"Yet you've never mentioned it before."

"It is a recent addition; neither the  _O'Neill_ nor the  _Daniel Jackson_  had automated scanning capabilities. The  _Samantha Carter_  however, combines the technology of the  _O'Neill_ -class battleships and that of the science vessels of the  _Daniel Jackson_ -class," he elaborated.

"Plus a few extras, apparently," Sam mumbled.

"Thor, buddy, what is the anomaly?" Jack asked again, not interested in the schematics or the capabilities of the ship – although it was cool that they apparently used the differences between the members of SG-1 for their different ships – but anxious about why something was bleeping on the screen.

"It appears Colonel Carter is with child," he announced bluntly.

Jack gaped, his mouth opening and closing for a few times before he was able to form a word. "What?"

"Well," Sam huffed, "that's not possible."

Glancing from Thor to Sam, Jack wasn't sure what to say. "Sam, are you sure? I mean, maybe he's right and-"

"No," she shook her head, "it's not possible. We've only been, ah," she blushed, aware of the fact that Thor was standing right beside her, "together for less than a month!"

Thor's spindly fingers moved over the consoles in order to get more data. "It appears the child has been sired approximately two of your weeks ago."

"You can tell I've conceived only two weeks ago?" Sam gasped in shock. That was plausible; it must've happened in the first couple of days that she and Jack started sleeping together, right after the divorce had come through. It wasn't like there had been a lack of trying or that they'd used conception; like they had agreed a few weeks ago, if she would get pregnant that was okay and if she wouldn't that was fine too. Although she had secretly been hoping to have Jack's baby. Not that his – soon to be  _theirs_  – kids weren't enough, but she was curious about what it would be like to have a child growing inside of her….

"The  _Samantha Carter_  is equipped with the most advanced technology we have," Thor responded.

"I guess that means yes," Jack mumbled, still not truly realizing what this meant.

"And you're absolutely positive, Thor?"

"I am," he responded. "It is most fortunate that you and O'Neill have decided to mate now that you are physically still capable and-"

"Whoa!" Jack interrupted him, not liking the turn of conversation. "Wait, you can tell that it's mine?"

"Who else's would it be,  _Jack_?" Sam snarled, offended by the question.

"That's not what I meant," he quickly tried to reassure her, realizing he'd put his foot in his mouth again.

Completely unaware of the tension between the humans, Thor moved another stone. "Both of your DNA samples are stored in the core of the mainframe," he informed them, showing both profiles on the screen.

"Great," Jack muttered under his breath. "As long as you don't make any more mini-mes," he warned him. He glanced back at the screen, which was still showing their respective DNA helixes and profiles as well as those of the  _baby_. "Wait," he frowned, realization finally dawning on him. "We're having a baby?" He gestured between him and Sam as he questioned Thor.

"Looks like it," Sam replied in awe as she studied the screen. Logically she knew the baby wouldn't be anything more than a lump of cells at the moment, but she couldn't help but feel different now that she knew.

"I believe it is in order for me to congratulate you," Thor broke their daze as he turned off the screen to look at them. "The Asgard High Council will be most pleased to learn of this new development."

Sam grinned, feeling slightly foolish as she glanced down at her still flat tummy. "Thanks Thor… just, don't tell anyone yet okay? We're getting married," she leaned towards him conspiratorially, "in a couple of days but technically it's still against the regs. So, we'll have to wait for a bit longer. Besides, it's not as if we would already know hadn't you told us," she added as she thought about it. "We'll have to wait until I'm three months along to make sure."

Jack had padded over to her while she was explaining to Thor why he should keep his mouth shut for the moment and wrapped his arms around her. "We're having a baby," he murmured in her ear as she leaned back against his chest.

"I know," she gave him her megawatt smile, beaming with joy.

"Happy birthday, Sam," he replied, kissing her temple as he lay his hand protectively over her stomach.

"Oh," she clasped her hand over her mouth, suddenly remembering. "I drank champagne last night!"

"Relax," he made a dismissive wave with his hand, "you couldn't have known. I doubt it would've done any damage."

"Indeed," Thor agreed. "The scans do not indicate any type of damage to the embryo. I would like to monitor your pregnancy, Colonel Carter."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked, warily.

"As you mentioned before; the first few stages of development are very important and considering your medical history, your age and your lifestyle I feel it prudent to make sure your offspring is being monitored regularly."

Exchanging a glance with her, Jack slowly nodded. "All right, but only normal scans, right? Nothing invasive?"

"Of course not, O'Neill. It would be very unwise to cause the fetus distress during any phase of the pregnancy," Thor replied, slightly offended by the assumption. However, he realized it was only natural for O'Neill to be wary after what Loki had done.

"So," Sam started, intertwining her fingers with Jack's. "Can we go and celebrate, Thor? Or was there anything else?"

"Very well," he replied. "We will elaborate on a schedule for the examinations tomorrow after the children are done with their tests."

Before they could say anything else, a bright white light enveloped them and they found themselves back in the house.

"Huh," Jack remarked, taking in his surroundings, "he could have at least let us say goodbye to the kids."


	12. Prepping for New Year's Eve

"You sure you don't want to come with us?" Jack asked as he donned his coat.

Zipping up Maddy's coat, Sam shook her head. "No, you guys go get the fireworks you want. I'll stay here and try to install the beaming technology so that Daniel, Cassie and Teal'c can use it."

"When are they coming?" Milou asked, her voice slightly muffled due to her scarf.

"Tomorrow," Jack replied, checking his pockets to see if he had everything he needed. "Okay, let's go campers."

Nathan pulled open the door and ran down the snow-free path to their car, followed by his sisters.

"I'll see you later, have fun," Sam said, giving her fiancé a kiss.

He smirked and rubbed her stomach with his hand. "I will, you have fun with your doohickey."

She chuckled as he walked through the doorway. "Bye Jack."

When the children got strapped in the car and Jack stepped and drove off, Sam closed the door and went back inside.

They'd gotten home rather late last night, enjoying their care-free dinner while Thor was watching the kids. She couldn't think of anyone who could keep them safer and they really liked the alien too. Jack had asked her to dress up, which she had done with a simple little black dress that looked perfect on her – even if she said so herself. It was one of the dresses she had bought with Janet during one of their shopping sprees and she'd hardly ever had the chance to wear it. As a matter of fact, the label had still been attached to it when she placed it in her suitcase. The plan had already been for her to fly here from San Diego on her birthday and she had packed the dress just in case. Although her little brother had messed up her plans, Sam was actually happy to be with Jack and the children for the last few days.

Especially after what Thor had told them yesterday. She was pregnant already! God, she and Pete had tried for such a long time and she had never conceived – which was a good thing in retrospect – and it had made her doubt whether she could actually get pregnant. It certainly hadn't taken Jack very long to prove she could. At the time the divorce had come through and they'd decided to finally make love it hadn't occurred to her that she had been ovulating at the time. But of course, now that she thought about it it made sense. Still, if it had been anyone other than Thor she wouldn't have believed them!

Sam sat down on the couch and placed her hand on her tummy. It was hard to believe there was actually a baby growing inside of her. Well, right now it would look like anything but a baby – or even human – she knew that, but still it was such a strange realization. Last night, after dinner Jack had made sweet love to her and afterwards they lay in each other's embrace talking about the baby and what this meant. She remembered all too well the conversation they'd had only weeks ago, when they got together; she had asked him if he wanted more children, mostly because she was concerned she wouldn't be able to give him that. He had told her he wasn't sure, hadn't really thought about it but now that he did, he knew he didn't want to be an old cripple man when his kids graduated high school. She understood, even if she hadn't really thought about it like that; it was hard to remember he was actually sixteen years her senior while he looked so handsome and much younger than his years.

Jack had taken her acquiescence the wrong way, thinking she was disappointed that he didn't want more children. She had assured him that wasn't the case, while he had held her and told her that he would give her anything she wanted and that a baby was the most wonderful thing he could think of to give her. Those words, that explanation, coming from a man that didn't really talked feelings meant so much to her, it was touching. Then she had to explain what she meant, that she was afraid she was infertile, possibly thanks to Jolinar. He had been so understanding that it had been almost scary and yet it wasn't, because he was Jack O'Neill – the man that had always been there for her when she needed him. The man she loved more than anything and who loved her at least just as much, if not more. She knew that wasn't really possible and yet it felt like it was true. The things he'd done for her in the past, the things he'd let her get away with even though they –  _she –_ had hurt him, they almost broke her heart. And then there he was,  _her_  Jack, her  _perfection_ , ready to mend – love – it back together.

She had no idea what she had done to deserve his love, to deserve him but she knew she would never let him go now that she had him. Their wedding was coming up, they'd already been talking about the rings. It had to be something special, they had agreed upon. Something unique, that meant something to both of them, something that held a special meaning. But it was difficult to decide; she couldn't remember having the same trouble with Pete. As a matter of fact, she had hardly had any say in it. It had been a bland ring, nothing spectacular – not that she wanted that – and very common. The engagement ring had been – looking back – a bit too gaudy for her taste.  _Not Jack's_ , she thought, sliding her free hand under the collar of her sweater to pull out her tags with the ring. Looking at that piece of jewelry always made her happy, made her smile – very goofy she was sure – and reinforced the feelings she had for Jack. Soon, he would be completely hers; vowing his love, his life to her and wearing her ring. She had never been the jealous or possessive type, but Jack O'Neill was hers and hers alone.

It wouldn't be much longer until the paperwork for the adoption would come through and they would be a real family. Emma had told her it would take a couple of weeks, especially this time a year and she understood. It was too bad that it wouldn't be taken care of before they got married, but she could live with that. Hell, she could live with almost anything if it meant she'd end up with Jack O'Neill and those adorable children. They had already started calling her 'Mommy' and it warmed her heart, her soul, every time she heard it. She'd gotten a lump in her throat when Jack had pointed out the word at the drawing Maddy had given her yesterday and when she'd noticed it – not that it would escape anyone's attention – on the mug Milou had given her. But she had been completely speechless when Madison had called her that oh so casually in conversation. Jack and his daughter had both acted like it was nothing special and when her brain had finally processed it, she realized it felt completely natural too.

Last night, when she'd been lying in Jack's arms, she told him about that and he had smirked, before showing her that heart-throbbing lopsided O'Neill grin. It was only then that she realized he'd been just as awed by it. His kids had been the center of his world the last five years and he apparently loved the fact that they accepted her without question. He'd laughed softly when he said he knew that Milou was crazy about her since the first time they'd met; it had been 'Sammie this, Sammie that' for days and it had only served to make the twins even more curious about this 'Sammie'. Sam, of course, had no idea and she'd admitted that his daughter had wormed her way into her heart rather fast. Even confessed that she hadn't wanted to like the little girl because seeing him again had reawakened her feelings for him and she had been scared that she would like Milou too much. In the end, that was exactly what had happened, only Sam had been smart enough to realize it in time and finally made the right choice. She loved Jack, had for years and Pete just didn't cut it. She had started to like Jack's kid more than her husband's; surely that was not a good sign?

"And now we're going to have a baby together," Sam whispered aloud, her hand warm on her belly. Jack had asked her if she wanted a boy or a girl but all she wanted was for it to be healthy. She had briefly wondered what the child would look like, but had given up after recalling several pictures she'd seen around his house. Lily had been a blonde, frailer and female version of Jack and her children looked a lot like her and yet differed quite a bit as well. Jack had said he didn't know what their biological father looked like, apparently the man hadn't earned his respect and he'd never wanted to meet him unless he could kick his ass for what he had done to his little sister. The latter had probably been the reason why Lily had never introduced the two. Milou and Nathan looked a lot like Lily, even a lot like Jack but Madison shared some of their features too. The fact that Milou and Nate both had brown eyes and blondish hair was probably what made them look even more alike, while Maddy's auburn hair was entirely different.

Sam herself was a natural blonde, blue eyes, tall for a woman or so she'd been told. Her father always used to tell her she looked a lot like her mother, she didn't really see it herself although she did have her eyes and the same hair color. Her father himself had brown eyes and he used to have brown hair. Mark had sandy hair and light eyes too. So she really had no idea what her and Jack's baby would look like. They were each other's opposite when it came to looks, so the genetic diversity was probably big. Perhaps it was true that opposites attracted each other. She'd heard about all kinds of scientific studies researching human attraction and they usually all came down to the fact survival of the fittest favored someone who was your opposite. Then again, she'd also heard that a woman's preference for a mate changed if she went on birth control, something to do with the hormones making you choose someone who was more similar to you. And she had been on the pill for years.

Of course, there was also that little thing about girls falling for someone like their father; she didn't think Jack was anything like her Dad, but they were about the same height, same hair and eye color, same profession…. No, Jack was nothing like her father! Maybe the last few years they seemed to have more in common, but that was more due to Selmak than anything else. Their characters were completely different. Although Sam did suspect Mark was going to comment on it. That is, if her brother ever came to his senses, apologized for his behavior and would be positive towards her relationship with Jack. Otherwise he would never get to meet his niece or nephew… she was going to miss Amy and Ryan too, but this time she wouldn't be the one crawling back, asking for forgiveness. Besides, if he was going to be like this she didn't want him in her life, or in her child's life for that matter.

She sighed, again glancing at her flat stomach. She was going to need advice about pregnancies, childbirth and raising a child. As a teenager she had never had a job as babysitter or any contact with babies, really. She couldn't remember ever changing a diaper… Oh God, she was going to be a terrible mother! No, she wasn't! Jack would be there with her, he had done this before, he could help her. For a moment Sam wondered why she didn't have any female friends she could ask for advice. The few women she was friendly with didn't have kids or she hadn't spoken to them in years. Janet was gone and no one could ever replace her, but even she hadn't gone through a pregnancy; Cassie had been adopted at twelve. Maybe she could ask Ilse? Sam grimaced at the idea, not that she didn't like the woman, but still, it was weird. She was practically Jack's sister and she would feel awkward confiding in her about… other things. But the woman had been pregnant, twice actually. Sam recalled that she had liked taking care of Simone, Ilse's baby girl. Then again, weren't babies always nice when you could return them to their mother?

* * *

"No Milou, you can't have them yet," Jack repeated, rolling his eyes. She'd been asking him about the fireworks, the bang snaps in particular – not that they were really worthy of the name firework – for the last ten minutes.

Pouting, she stepped in front of him, walking backwards. "Why not, Daddy?"

"Because it's illegal right now," he explained. Narrowing his eyes, he slightly leaned forward. "You don't want to go to jail, do you?"

"No!"

"Because they don't have fireworks in jail, you know," he continued, switching the bags from one hand to the other as they'd started cutting his palm. "They would place you in a small cell and there are no fun things to do there, not even on New Year's Eve."

"I don't want to go to jail," she said in a small voice. "I'll wait, Daddy."

"That's my girl," he smirked, patting her head with his free hand. "Now, do any of you remember where I parked the car?"

Maddy giggled at her father; he always forgot where he parked the car, even when she asked him to write it down. He would simply say she would find it for him. "It's over there," she pointed across the space.

"I'll race you," Nathan challenged his twin, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Ack!" Jack exclaimed, grabbing the boy by his coat's hood. "No running, it's too dangerous. There are a lot of other cars, you can't go running around a parking lot. Before you know it one is coming around the corner and they won't see you."

"Sorry," he mumbled, looking at the floor.

"C'mon," he replied, tugging on his coat. "Let's go this way," he jerked his head towards the sidewalk that went around the parking lot.

Maddy tugged on his jeans, trying to get his attention. "Daddy, can I carry one of the bags?"

"No sweetie, they're too heavy for you, I don't want you to trip."

Milou, already having forgotten about the fireworks when she noticed the stand at the end of the parking lot, squealed. "Ooh Daddy, can we get some of those?"

Jack squinted, already having a vague suspicion about what she was referring to. "Those donut thingies?"

"Not donuts," she gasped in horror.

"Croustillons then," he sighed, rolling his eyes.

Nathan grabbed his free hand and pulled him toward the stand. "Oliebollen," he corrected his father. "Can you smell that, Daddy?"

Jack almost laughed when all three kids closed their eyes and their little noses went up in the air, to sniff the luring scent of the delicacy. He had to admit it smelled good and he was getting a bit hungry; lunch had been almost three hours ago and dinner wasn't for another few. "Fine, we'll buy some," he relented, letting his son pull him forward. "After all, I'm sure Sam will want to try them too."

"Mommy will love them," Milou piped up, running over the sidewalk towards the woman in the stand.

Madison tried to skip after her sister but stopped when she almost slipped on a few remainders of the slippery snow, squashed on the pavement. "Auntie Ilse loves them too, we should get extra."

"Right," Jack nodded, already calculating how many he should get with everyone coming over tomorrow. He was sure he could get an entire bag for Teal'c alone, assuming that the Jaffa would like the food. Granted, he liked most Earth food but he didn't seem particularly interested in fast food and these… balls of dough were deep fried.

"Can I order, Daddy?" Milou asked impatiently when they finally joined her.

He chuckled at the sight of her pressing her nose against the glass, barely able to see any of the delicacies with her short frame. "Sure, go ahead," he relented, figuring she could do it better anyway in Dutch. He watched as Milou pointed with her fingers at the glass, indicating which ones they would 'need' – her words – while her siblings were eager to help with their little hands. The woman at the counter merely smiled at their enthusiasm and glanced at Jack to see how many he actually wanted and he would hold up his fingers. He smiled when he heard Maddy ask for extra powdered sugar, telling the woman her father never bought them any.

"Daddy, do you have money?" Milou held up her hand, waiting for him to give her the money so she could pay the woman.

He sighed, rolling his eyes as he reached for his wallet and pulled out some cash and placed it in her hand. "Keep the change," he told the woman as she handed him the bags. "Thanks!"

"This way," Maddy told him, intent on getting them to the car as fast as possible.

* * *

"Sam?" Jack called out as he opened the door.

"Mommy, we're home," Nathan yelled as he ran past his father into the living room. "We've got a snack!"

Waiting for the girls to follow their little brother, Jack held up the bags before they would run into them – or him. When everyone was inside he closed the door behind him and placed the bags on the side table in the hall to take off his coat. "I think she's working on her doohickey," he told the kids, who were looking for Sam. "Come on, take off your shoes and coats."

They relented, sighing and complaining as he tugged on their colored rain boots and placed them on the mat. "Here, take this in the kitchen," he told them, handing both girls a bag with food. "I'll put these somewhere safe," he indicated the bags with fireworks and waved them off.

"Jack? Kids?"

"In the living room, Sam," he yelled back, waiting for her to come downstairs. "I thought you'd be working on your doohickey."

"I already finished it," she smirked, walking up to him to kiss him. "It's a lot easier when you helped develop them."

"I'll bet it is," he mumbled, pulling her against him to kiss her again.

"Ew, Daddy, Mommy that's gross," Milou interrupted them, shielding her eyes with her hands.

Sam chuckled as she pulled away and took a step back. "So, did you get what you wanted?" She had never been big on celebrating New Year's Eve but apparently Jack was. Well, he hadn't been when they'd been working together, although there were those few times when she went to visit Mark and she assumed he went to the cabin, but he could have easily gone to visit his sisters. Especially considering the fact that he knew how to celebrate it here, where to get his things and other stuff.

"Yeah sure you betcha," he smirked, holding up the bags. "We've got some sky rockets, roman candles, sparklers and bang snaps for the kids. Ilse and Matt will probably have more stuff with them," he shrugged.

"You need more than that?" Sam asked, surprised as she pointed at the two large bags.

"Well, yeah," he replied slowly. "It's pretty, you know."

She snorted at the face he pulled, once again looking like a little boy instead of an adult man. "I'm sure it is."

"I didn't take any of the heavy fireworks with me, I figured we've seen and heard enough firefights, bombs, missiles and rockets."

"Good," she nodded, walking towards the couch. "So, are you going to show me any of the fireworks or do we have to wait?"

Jack chuckled at her innuendo, sure that she hadn't even realized it. He plopped down next to her on the sofa and leaned closer. "I thought I already showed you fireworks last night? But hey, if you want to go again…."

"Oh God," she snorted, "you did not just say that!"

"I did," he smirked, "and you laughed."

Sam shook her head, her hair flying around her face. "No, I snorted, that's something entirely different."

"Well-"

"Daddy, can we finally eat something?" Nathan asked, padding over to them, effectively interrupting their conversation.

"Eat?"

"Ah," Jack gave her a quick kiss before jumping up. "The kids insisted on getting this donut type of thing, it's tradition around the holidays," he explained.

Milou walked over to them, holding one of the smaller paper bags from the plastic bags. "Look Mommy!"

"No, you have to smell them," Nathan chimed in.

Sam cautiously leaned forward towards the bag but it wasn't necessary as Milou jiggled the bag in her hands and the scent almost assaulted her. It smelled rather good but she was glad she wasn't very far along in the pregnancy, otherwise the heavy scent would've made her sick, she was sure of it. "So what are these?"

"Oliebollen," Madison offered, climbing on the couch to sit next to her. "You have to eat them with powdered sugar."

Jack joined them again, plates and napkins in hand. "Milou?"

She wordlessly handed him the bag and sat down next to the coffee table, already throwing some powdered sugar on her empty plate. "I want one with raisins," she said, when her father got a few out of the bag.

Once everyone had one, they all ate it with gusto, the powdered sugar flying around in the air with every bite they took.

"This is good," Sam almost moaned. "Although a bit-"

"Oily?" Jack suggested, biting back a grin as he licked his fingers.

She nodded, wondering why the kids started giggling. "What?"

He handed her a napkin and she gladly took it to wipe her mouth. "Literally translated they're called oil balls," he shrugged, smirking only slightly.

"Oh," she smiled, "well, it's a good name."

"Do you think Teal'c will like them, Mommy?" Milou asked, remembering her friend. "And Daniel?"

"I'm sure they will try one," she offered, actually unsure if Teal'c would like them considering he usually only ate healthy fruit and vegetables. But if anyone could convince him it was probably Milou, she mused, recalling how he'd been walking around the SGC with her 'Hello Kitty'-backpack.

"So you installed the doohickey?"

Sam bobbed her head, pleased with herself that it hadn't taken her so long. In particular because she'd been daydreaming about the baby, the wedding and their lives together. "Yes, it's ready to be used."

"Shouldn't we, you know," Jack shrugged, "test it first?"

"Why, are you afraid they won't rematerialize?"

"Not that I don't trust you, Sam," he held out his hands in a defensive gesture, "but it  _is_  alien technology."

She shook her head, automatically pushing her long hair behind her ear. "No, it's reversed engineered, it's perfectly safe. But if it makes you feel any better, I'm sure we can test it with something," she glanced around the room. "Oh, we could use that."

Jack almost yelped. "You're not going to use my  _Simpson's_  DVD for that, Sam!"

"Fine," she rolled her eyes, secretly amused.

Milou chuckled at them, her mouth covered in powdered sugar. "You can use Poesje to test it if Teal'c takes care of it."

"You should take after your daughter, Jack O'Neill," Sam teased when Milou handed her the stuffed cat.

He narrowed his eyes at her as he grabbed all the empty plates. "It's  _The Simpson's_ , Carter, that's just… wrong!"


	13. Catching Up

Sam slowly became aware of soft mumbling as she woke up. Something was tickling her tummy and it took her a moment to realize it was Jack who was talking. She assumed one of the children had walked into the room and that was why he was talking softly and she automatically reached for the duvet with her right hand as her left hand was lying underneath her pillow. She opened her eyes when she couldn't find the duvet. "Jack, what are you doing?"

He looked up startled when he heard her sleepy voice and felt a shiver ran through her when his morning stubble scratched the soft skin of her stomach. "Nothing."

"I heard you," she gave him a lazy smile when she recognized the 'innocent little boy'-look he was giving her. "I thought one of the kids was here," she raised her head and looked around the room. They were still alone and Jack had pulled the duvet down to her waist. "I'm cold," Sam complained, tugging on the duvet to cover her almost naked body. After making love last night she'd woken up and went to the bathroom when she'd gotten cold and pulled on one of his shirts, but it had bunched up during her sleep and now barely covered her breasts and ribs.

Jack pulled back on the duvet petulantly as he took in her sleepy appearance. She was so beautiful, even with her bed hair and sleep still evident in her eyes. "We have less than an hour before the kids wake up – if we're lucky," he warned her when her eyes fluttered.

Sam groaned, pulling her left hand from underneath her pillow to rub her eyes. He was right; there was no use in her trying to sleep anymore now that she was awake, it would only leave her more tired once the alarm – or the children – would wake her. "I still heard you," she mumbled, glancing down at his silver hair. "Jack O'Neill, you better not have been trying to wake me up because-"

"I wasn't talking to you," he replied, lifting his head slightly to look at her. Seeing the disbelief on her face he ducked and kissed her taut stomach. "I was talking to the baby," he whispered bashfully. To his astonishment, she giggled at his admission. "What?"

"Jack," she said sweetly, propping herself up on her elbows. "The baby can't hear you."

He sat up, stretched his arms above his head and crawled up the bed to sit next to his fiancée. "You don't know that."

"Actually, I do," she smirked, pulling down her shirt. After realizing her lack of knowledge when it came to babies and pregnancies yesterday afternoon, she'd been surfing the web in the evening while Jack and the kids had been watching  _The Simpsons_. "I'm not that far along yet."

Jack shrugged, yawned and reached out his hand to stroke back her bangs. "So? Doesn't mean the baby can't hear me."

Sam giggled again, patting his thigh. "Thor said I conceived about two weeks ago, all I have inside of me is a lump of cells."

"The baby might find that insulting, you know," he replied, mock glaring at her. "For you to call it a lump of cells."

"It's not a baby yet-"

"Ack!" Jack held up his hand, interrupting her. "That," he pointed at her flat stomach, "is where our baby is growing."

"Fine," she relented, rolling her eyes. "But the embryo has only just nestled and the placenta is probably forming now. It will be another week before the brain, spinal cord and heart will develop as well as the nervous system," Sam gave him a pointed look. "So the baby can't hear us, because it doesn't have ears yet."

Jack stared at her as she got up from the bed. "Right," he nodded to himself, his eyes automatically following her long, naked legs that showed underneath his old t-shirt. "When did you become an expert on pregnancies?"

"Last night," she smirked over her shoulder. "I was doing something useful while you were watching a cartoon with yellow figurines."

"I resent that," he replied as she walked into the bathroom. Hearing the door close behind her, he slid off the bed. "It's a very educative program and entertains at the same time," he yelled through the door.

"No Jack, that is  _Sesame Street_ ," came her muffled reply.

Realizing he had to pee, Jack padded over to the bathroom and pulled open the door. "You know what's wrong with you, Carter?" he asked nonchalantly as he went to the toilet. "You don't appreciate the little things in life."

Grabbing a towel, Sam dried her face after splashing water on it. "Just because I don't like  _The Simpsons_?" She asked sarcastically, watching his naked backside via the mirror.

"And fishing," he added, glancing over his shoulder. "You're always so focused on the bigger picture that you forget to enjoy the little things," Jack continued with a one-shouldered shrug as he emptied his bladder.

She turned to him, frowning. "Maybe you're right," she admitted after a short silence, moving away from the sink so he could wash his hands after he flushed the toilet.

"I am?"

Sam nodded pensively; as much as she didn't want to say it aloud, he had a good point. She had always been focused on her goal, her career, the perfect and  _normal_  life she had wanted. And where had that led her? Now that she had agreed to do this with Jack, to get married by using a sort of loophole she was happier than she could ever remember. She had enjoyed spending time with him and the children and doing little things every day. "Well, you can teach me how to fish in the summer," she finally said. "Even if there aren't any fish in the pond."

"It's about the act of fishing, not the actual catching of innocent creatures, Sam," he smirked. "You should've told me sooner, when we were still at the cabin."

"No thank you," she shook her head as she combed her hair. "Sitting and relaxing on your dock in the sun is one thing, but I'm not going ice fishing with you."

"Whatever you say, Carter," he quipped, swiveling on his feet to turn on the shower. "Care to join me?"

* * *

"Did you receive the package, T?" Jack asked through his cell phone.

 _"Indeed, O'Neill_."

He glanced around, making sure no one overheard him. "Was it still intact?"

_"Indeed it was; Colonel Carter once again successfully installed the required technology."_

Jack let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "Good, well I guess that means it's safe for you to come over." He signaled Sam who was sitting behind the terminal that controlled the build-in beaming device.

"Don't forget to tell him to take Poesje back with him," Sam told him absentmindedly while her hands were going over the keyboard, typing in commands to prep the machine.

"Did you hear that Teal'c?"

_"Do not worry, O'Neill. I will keep Milou O'Neill's plush toy kitten safe during travel."_

He nodded to no one in particular. "Right, so are Daniel and Cassie there too?"

_"Indeed, they are ready."_

"Okay then," Jack looked at Sam.

She looked up, gave him a brief smile before looking back at the screen. "Tracing locater beacons and awaiting their PICs."

"Teal'c, Carter needs you to insert your personal identification codes."

Sam grinned when the computer processed the incoming data. "Got it!"

"See you in a flash, T. O'Neill out," Jack disconnected the call and within seconds a bright white light filled the small room.

"Jack, Sam!" Cassie squealed after she opened her eyes. Daniel had told her closing them before they were engulfed by the light would diminish the black spots once they'd reach their destination and he was right.

Sam barely had the time to stand up from her chair when the young woman ran up to her and hugged her tightly. "Hi Cassie!"

"Don't I get a hug?" Jack asked, pouting as he held his arms outstretched towards Cassie.

She giggled and looked at Sam. "I know I'm late, but; happy birthday!" They hugged again before she ran into Jack's arms. "I was so happy to hear that everyone was going to be here with New Year's Eve!"

"Hi Sam," Daniel smiled and hugged her, "Happy birthday". It had been too long since they had last seen each other with her coming back from Atlantis while he'd been on a three-week dig with SG-11.

She smiled, happy to finally see him after months of only sending emails back and forth or – if they were lucky – talking via a video link. "Thanks, I'm glad you guys could make it."

"And congratulations on the engagement," he smirked and kissed her cheek as he hugged her again.

"You already congratulated us, Space Monkey," Jack replied, releasing Cassie as he glared at the younger man. He knew Daniel and Sam were like brother and sister and he suspected Daniel was hugging her this long on purpose, but still…. He didn't like sharing.

"Not in person, Jack," he replied, still smirking. "Congratulations to you too!" He shook his friend's hand and clasped his shoulder. "You have no idea what a surprise it was to get back to the SGC and have a message from Cassie telling me to call her back ASAP!"

"Sorry about that," Sam grimaced, realizing she should have been the one to tell Daniel.

He shrugged and bent down to grab his bag. "It's okay, I know you couldn't really tell me without someone finding out and when I got back you and Jack were at the cabin so I couldn't reach you."

"O'Neill, Colonel Carter," Teal'c intoned from his place in the corner. "It is good to see you well again. I was most pleased to learn of your invitation to celebrate the transition of the year."

"You know," Cassie started as she walked over to Teal'c and her dog, Boomer, who was sitting next to him – probably still slightly dazed from the beaming over if his silence was anything to go by. "I would've thought you'd be thrilled about the wedding, not celebrating New Year's Eve."

"Indeed I am," he allowed the corners of his mouth to curl up slightly. "However, I have been anticipating this event for many years now. I am confident I can wait for several days more."

Cassie giggled and shook her head. "I guess you're right, it's just too bad it took you guys so long." She wished her mother would be able to see her two friends now, happily engaged. "Where can I take Boomer?"

"You took the dog with you?" Jack asked, only now realizing the old Shiba Inu had come with her.

"Sam said it was okay," she protested, glancing back to the woman who was like her third mother. "She said you had talked about it…."

"Really?" he raised both eyebrows and looked at his fiancée. "Well, I guess he can stay in the living room. I'm sure the kids will be thrilled to see him again."

"C'mon boy," Cassie tugged on his leash as she grabbed her weekend bag with her free hand.

Teal'c stepped forward and gently laid his hand on Colonel Carter's shoulder. "I am most pleased to see you and O'Neill are finally giving in to the feelings you harbor for one another. You look almost radiant, Colonel Carter."

Sam smiled sheepishly, hoping the ever watchful Jaffa wouldn't discover that she was pregnant. It was way too early in the pregnancy to tell anyone – she and Jack weren't even supposed to know yet! "Thank you, Teal'c. I'm glad to see you are looking good, too," she hugged him on impulse and was glad he returned the embrace. "How are Ishta, Rya'c and Kar'yn?"

"So Jack," Daniel started, realizing Sam and Teal'c wanted to catch up as he followed Cassie out to the house. "How is everything coming along?"

* * *

"So, you talked to me about Boomer?" Jack asked Sam, while they were standing in the kitchen together. They were preparing drinks for everyone while Teal'c and Daniel were entertaining the children and Cassie was in the study to check her emails after spending Christmas with her boyfriend's family.

"Yes, I did," she replied as she poured some lemonade in the plastic cups for the kids.

"I don't remember that," he remarked, filling up some coffee cups.

She smirked, glancing up. "You were busy with… other things."

Intrigued, Jack leaned against the counter. "When?"

"After I got here," she elaborated, adding water to the cups. "You know, when I got out of the bathroom after changing into your new favorite lingerie set?"

He was searching his brain, but couldn't remember much about that except for the extremely hot outfit she'd been wearing. "Oh, well that's not playing fair."

"I know," Sam smirked. "But you said it was okay for Boomer to stay here now that Cassie was too busy with her internship to take proper care of him."

"Stay here?" He repeated, thinking. "How long?"

"Well, the dog is what, eleven now? I don't think they live much longer than fifteen years on average," she shrugged.

Jack blinked at her. "You mean she's leaving Boomer here, with us?"

"That was what I was trying to tell you when you interrupted me and said it was okay," Sam explained.

"I can't believe she would do that-"

She turned to him, placing a soothing hand on his arm. "Would you rather have her work double shifts in the hospital while Boomer was stuck in her apartment? You were the one that gave her the dog, remember? She is just trying to act responsible and you are always saying you want a dog…."

"Well, yeah," he frowned, "someday."

"This way Cassie can still come and visit Boomer and you can get the dog you wanted. At least we know he's been trained properly and good with the kids," she tried, pleading with him. "You don't go off-world anymore and you work pretty regular hours."

Jack realized she was right; he had always wanted to get a dog, but he'd been either too busy with going off-world and thus not able to give a dog a good home or too busy with the kids that he didn't have the time to train a dog. He'd been thinking about getting a dog from the pound when he was promoted to HWS, but he wasn't going to risk getting an adult dog he didn't know with young children. Boomer was a good dog, he himself had helped Cassie train him when he'd had the time and he knew Doc Fraiser had insisted on Cassie taking the dog on all kinds of courses from the moment she got him. Plus Jack had always liked Boomer, had taken care of him in the last couple of years when Cassie was going on vacation or just when she was staying over. The kids loved to play with him outside on the field or throw sticks in the pond in the summer so that the dog would jump after them when they were at the cabin. "I guess it would teach the kids responsibility and I don't want Boomer to suffer due to Cassie's hectic schedule," he admitted.

Sam beamed at him and almost knocked over the drinks when she threw her arms around him and gave him a kiss. "Cassie will be so happy!"

"You sure you don't mind?"

She shook her head, already prepared to take Boomer in from the moment Cassie had asked her on the phone a couple of days ago. It was true that she'd been stunned when Pete mentioned getting a dog after buying her a house, but somehow this felt right. Her Dad had never allowed her and Mark to have a pet when they were younger and she had been tempted to get one when she was older and living on her own, but she realized it would've been unfair to the pet. She'd been especially tempted when she had gone to the pound to get Schrödinger for Narim and saw all the other pets in need of an owner. But she had resisted and instead enjoyed playing a bit with Boomer whenever she'd gone to visit Cassie and Janet. "Besides, it looks like I'll be spending a lot of time at home too," she mentioned, glancing down at her stomach. She wouldn't risk going off-world when she was pregnant and the SGC didn't even allow gate traveling for pregnant personnel. Woolsey had already relieved her of command at Atlantis so they would probably put her in a lab somewhere to work on alien technology, which meant she could work from oh-nine-hundred to seventeen-hundred hours.

"All right," Jack relented, wrapping his arms around her once more to hug her close. All they needed now was a white picket fence…. Then again, he hated clichés. "I guess I should let Cassie know when she finally gets away from the computer."

"Yeah, now let's get everyone their drinks before they come looking for us."

He grabbed a tray with the cups of coffee and followed her out to the living room. Milou was already sitting on Teal'c's lap, Poesje stuffed under one arm and Maddy was sitting next to Daniel, showing him her recent drawings. "Drinks, everyone."

"I like the house, Jack," Daniel commented, waving his hand around.

"I'll give you a tour later tonight if you don't mind," he replied, placing the cups of coffee on the coffee table before plopping down on the couch next to Sam.

Teal'c glanced surreptitiously around the room. "Indeed, it is a most pleasant home."

"Thanks, it was Lily's."

"I really like it too," Sam said as she cradled her cup of coffee. "The night's sky is beautiful too around here, lots of stars."

"Teal'c will you help me with the fireworks tonight?" Milou asked as she looked up at his face with the pretty gold on his forehead.

He raised an eyebrow at O'Neill before inclining his head solemnly. "I most certainly will, Milou O'Neill."

"Daddy can we have oliebollen?" Nathan piped up from the table, where he was coloring. He was excited about tonight but didn't really know Mommy and Daddy's friends very well, so he'd decided to hang back a bit while his sisters were asking for attention.

Jack looked up from his cup of coffee to see his son's eager face on the other side of the room. "For crying out loud, Nate, we haven't even had lunch yet."

"That's okay, I don't want a sandwich."

Daniel chuckled at the boy's reply, which earned him a glare from Jack. "He takes after you."

"That's too bad, because you're not getting anything else if you're not going to have lunch with us in an hour or so," Jack told his son, ignoring a certain archeologist. "After your aunt gets here."

"Ilse is coming too?" Daniel asked, surprised. He had assumed that Cassie, Teal'c and himself would be the only ones and hadn't thought about asking Sam or Jack.

Jack nodded before sipping from his coffee. "We usually spend it with the family," he shrugged, looking at his friends. "Since we're here, she's coming too. I hope you don't mind?"

"No, no, of course not," he hastened himself to say. "I just hadn't expected it."

"I'm sure you'll like her, Daniel, she's very nice," Sam added.

"I know, we've talked a few times," he replied, purposely not mentioning Sam and Pete's engagement party. For someone who was somewhat related to Jack, Ilse had actually turned out to be very likeable. She'd been truly interested in talking about his work and not once had she cut him off. They'd hit it off pretty fast and he certainly didn't mind her coming over too. "So, is anyone else going to join us too? Mark or Jacob perhaps?"

Sam snorted. "Well, my Dad has already gone back to the Tok'ra after dropping me off here at the 26th."

"Were you not supposed to spend the holidays with your brother and his family, Colonel Carter?" Teal'c inquired, remembering the last time they had communicated over the phone and O'Neill had told him about their respective schedules.

"It didn't go very well, Teal'c," Jack grimaced. "But yeah, you're right; Sam wasn't supposed to get here until the 29th."

"I was talking to Dad – he gave us his blessing by the way," she beamed at Daniel and Teal'c, "in the morning when apparently Mark was eavesdropping. He only overheard part of our conversation and he wouldn't let me explain about Jack and myself. We argued and it got out of hand and I left."

Stunned, Daniel stared at her. She usually didn't lose her cool and wasn't the type to walk out without trying to explain. "Oh, that… sucks."

"Indeed. Your brother will not give his blessing regarding your upcoming marriage?"

"No, apparently not, Teal'c," she sighed sadly.

"His loss," Daniel quickly said, not wanting her to be upset. "He probably doesn't understand and he doesn't know you two the way we do."

"I know," Sam gave him a small smile. "I just wanted him to be happy for me, especially with everything that is going on," she glanced at Jack as she murmured the last bit, not yet wanting to tell them that she was pregnant.

Jack held her eyes before slowly letting his eyes roam her figure, finally coming to a rest on her flat stomach. He had heard her, he understood. Mark was her brother and they'd finally reconciled a couple of years ago when Selmak had insisted on Jacob making amends with his son. They had grown closer over the last couple of years, as close as possible with Sam and Jacob not being able to tell Mark everything about their lives. Their relationship had grown so much that Mark had felt it his duty to help Sam with her love life in the form of one of his best friends. With her wanting to divorce Pete two years ago their relationship had taken a turn for the worse, because she hadn't been able to explain her feelings and actions to her brother.

Now, she had only been divorced for a couple of weeks and Mark had just found out she was going to get married again. To her CO. Sam claimed to finally be happy and Jack believed her, but apparently Mark didn't. She wanted to introduce her brother to her fiancé, wanting them to get along so that everyone could share in their happiness. So yes, he understood, especially now that Thor had told them about the pregnancy. "I know," he told her, intertwining their fingers and giving her hand a soft squeeze. "I'll talk to him." Hell, he'd do anything for Sam.

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Sam replied hesitantly. If her brother's reaction was anything to go by he wouldn't give Jack a very warm welcome. Knowing Mark, taking in to consideration that he was still upset about her hurting Pete, he would probably slam the door in Jack's face once he recognized him.

"Why not, you Carters love me," Jack quipped, smirking at her. "I already faced Jacob," he grimaced slightly thinking back to that conversation although it had gone better than he'd hoped, "how bad can your brother be?"

"Indeed. It is possible Mark Carter is feeling protective of you, Colonel Carter after your divorce. He is unaware of the extent of the feelings you and O'Neill harbor for one another and most likely fears you are being taken advantage of by your commanding officer in a time he feels you are emotionally confused."

"Whoa Teal'c," Cassie exclaimed, finally stepping into the living room. She hadn't wanted to interrupt the serious conversation and thus had been leaning against the doorway. "How did you become an expert on relationships?"

He raised an eyebrow at the young alien woman. "I have been an avid viewer of one of your televisions programs in which various topics put forth by the host are being discussed. Although the audience consists mostly of females I am of opinion many males in this galaxy could benefit from the expertise of Oprah Winfrey and Doctor Phil."

Cassie plopped down on the couch next to Sam, both giggling at Teal'c's reply before Daniel spoke up.

"You know," he pushed up his glasses and blinked a few times, "I think Teal'c is right. Ah, about Mark, not Oprah per se. Maybe it would be good for him and Jack to talk about this."

Surprised by this, Sam returned to her senses and sat up straight, warily glancing at the adult males in the living room. "I don't know… Mark can be a bit exasperating, especially if he thinks he's right."

"Well, then they will get along just fine," Cassie quipped, grinning at Jack. "I'm sure they're both very stubborn too and they also care a lot about you, Sam."

"Indeed, a meeting between O'Neill and Mark Carter may be fruitful."

Seeing her doubt, Daniel decided to help out his friends. "Yeah Sam, think about it; if Jack can convince Mark how much he loves you," he gave Jack a pointed look, "then maybe he will realize he was wrong about you two. You can always try."

"Space Monkey is right," Jack nodded, once again squeezing Sam's hand reassuringly. "What have we got to lose? You don't want to talk to your brother anyway unless he'll come to you with an apology over his behavior," he decided not to go into detail, thinking maybe Carter didn't want the guys and Cassie to know about what had happened between her and Mark before she'd left. "I might be able to change his mind and if not, at least we've tried."

Their arguments made sense, she knew that, but still Sam hesitated. She also knew her brother and was aware that he still thought she'd made a mistake by divorcing Pete even if he wouldn't admit it. "I just don't want to involve you into this, because I know Mark is going to be an ass and I don't want you to get hurt-"

"Me?" Jack chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "I'm pretty sure I can take him, Carter."

"That's not what I meant," she glared at him. "He can be… mean, especially if he feels cornered. I don't want him to throw accusations at you and-"

"But I'm already involved," he gently reminded her. "After all, if it wasn't for me, you two never would've gotten into this fight."

"Oh, I'm sure he would've found something to argue about," she mumbled, looking down at their hands. "But if you go there to talk to him, things might get out of hand and I don't want this to escalate any further. If Mark doesn't want me to be happy, that's fine then I don't want him at the wedding."

"Sam," Jack sighed, releasing her hand to throw his arm around her shoulder and pull her against his side. "I just want you to be happy and if that means I have to go talk to Mark, that's what I'll do. I can try and if it doesn't work, then at least we know."

Daniel bit back a grin seeing his two friends in what they would've called a compromising position not too long ago. "Mark  _is_  your brother, Sam. Even though you're angry with him now, doesn't mean you two have to grow apart for the rest of your lives. Let Jack do this, it will show Mark that he has good intentions. I'll even go with him to make sure things don't get out of hand," he offered when he noticed she wanted to protest again.

"Yeah, Danny Boy will be diplomat; after all, what's good for the aliens will be good enough for Mark Carter."

"Fine," Sam relented, rolling her eyes as she snuggled closer to Jack. It was touching that Jack wanted to do this for her, that even Teal'c and Daniel wanted to help out. It was such a contrast to her blood-related family, if only Mark could see that. "But no more talking about this today."

"Mark makes Mommy sad," Maddy spoke up as she tugged on Daniel's sleeve. "Can you give my lemonade?"

"Sure," Daniel mumbled, leaning forward to grab her cup and handed it her. "Wait…  _Mommy_?"

"Yeah," Sam beamed at him. "I'm going to officially adopt the kids!"

He gasped, his mouth opening and closing a few times before he recovered. "Wow! That's great, amazing! Congratulations – again," he chuckled. It seemed like all he was doing today was congratulating her!

"Awesome," Cassie smirked, hugging Sam briefly before letting go. "You'll be an awesome mom to them, I just know it!"

Puzzled, Teal'c raised a brow and looked at O'Neill and Colonel Carter. "What is this adoption you speak of? Is it similar to the process Doctor Fraiser underwent after Cassandra Fraiser came to Earth?"

Cassie bobbed her head at his question. "Yeah, Mom adopted me too so that she would officially be my parent and would have all the rights and responsibilities."

"I was under the impression this was only possible for orphans," he continued.

"Actually Teal'c," Daniel started, ready to explain the entire concept of adoption. "There are several types of adoption possible…."

* * *

"Milou," Jack called out to his oldest daughter, who was still sitting on Teal'c's lap. "Can you help me set the table?"

"But Daddy," she protested, gnawing her lip. "Can't I stay here?" she snuggled closer to Teal'c, wrapping her arm around his waist.

"Fine," he relented, rolling his eyes. "Just this once, though," Jack held up a finger in warning. "You don't mind, do you T?"

"Indeed, I do not, O'Neill," he responded, looking down at the innocent blonde child seated in his lap.

Daniel stood up slowly and picked up his empty coffee cup from the table. "I'll give you a hand, Jack." He followed his friend to the kitchen, overhearing Sam ask Teal'c what he wanted for lunch before their voices faded. Placing his cup on the counter he immediately filled it again with the dark liquid. "So… I thought you said Ilse was going to join us for lunch?"

"Ah, yes," Jack nodded as he reached into the cabinets to get the plates. "She called about an hour ago that she was leaving, so she'll be here in a few."

"Okay," he replied, opening several drawers to look for the cutlery. "So, she's okay with Sam adopting the kids?"

"Yeah sure you betcha," he quipped, silently counting the number of plates he needed. "As a matter of fact, she was the one who encouraged me to ask Sam after the kids mentioned it."

"They mentioned it?" Daniel asked, surprised. "Wow, I had no idea children that age would be concerned with such things…."

Jack shot him a glance. "Weren't you?"

He shrugged casually, feeling anything but whenever this subject came up. "Well, I was a few years older when my parents died. Not to mention that I lost both parents, the kids still have you."

"True," he admitted, taking a closer look at his friend. Daniel had told them about his childhood after they'd learned of his grandfather, Nicholas Ballard and that mission with the gamekeeper. It was obvious it was a sensitive subject for him and Jack really wasn't the type to bring up such things. "Well, I guess it might have something to do with the time we live in; a lot of their classmates have divorced parents and some of those remarried, giving them a new Mommy or Daddy."

"I guess you're right," Daniel said, finally finding the cutlery.

"By the way," Jack leaned against the counter, facing Daniel. "How is Nick doing?"

"Oh," Daniel waved with his hands – whilst being careful not to stab himself or Jack with the knives – in a vague gesture. "He's doing good; still enjoying P7X-377 and learning a lot from the Quetzalcoatl."

Jack frowned at him and at the same time Sam entered the kitchen too. "Those are the giants, right?"

"Yep," he confirmed.

"What giants?" Sam inquired, ducking into the refrigerator to get the items they'd need for lunch.

"You know, Carter," Jack remarked, grabbing the heavy stack of plates as he turned towards the table. "The ones where we left Nick."

Placing the food on the counter, she turned to Daniel. "Oh, your grandfather! So, he's still enjoying the cultural exchange?"

Daniel nodded as he sipped from his coffee, cutlery half-forgotten after he'd placed it on the counter next to the coffee maker. "Yeah, he had some amazing stories to share with me."

"You contacted him?" She asked, surprised that he hadn't told her. Seeing his affirmation, she continued to muse aloud. "You know, it's kind of strange that he is staying there that long to learn about their culture and teach them about ours. It's not like there was a lot there on the planet…."

"I don't think we saw everything there is to see, Sam," he smiled. "And yes, I spent Christmas with him here on Earth."

"What?" She frowned again, placing a hand on her hip as she gave him a scrutinizing look. "I thought you were spending time with Sarah in Chicago!"

Daniel shook his head sadly, looking at his shoes. "No, didn't I tell you? It wasn't working out so we decided to part as friends…."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I had no idea!"

"It was too hard for her, you know?" he grimaced, looking up to face her. "She was still dealing with everything Osiris had done and I was a reminder of all that. It made it harder for her to deal with, even though she also admitted I was one of few she could actually talk to about what she went through." Daniel sighed and ran his hand through his hair, slightly frustrated. "Despite everything she couldn't really understand what I do for a living, that I'm still able to do everything after what we've all gone through in the last decade. It was hard for her to see that I, I don't know," he stopped himself, shrugging helplessly. "I think she couldn't accept that I was still so enthusiastic about my work, about the things we learn out there."

Sam felt for him, knowing what kind of losses he had gone through in the years she had known him. "I'm sorry, Daniel. I'm a terrible friend for not even knowing all that," she admitted, reaching out to hug him.

"It's okay, we decided a couple of weeks ago and you were busy in Atlantis," he told her, wrapping his arms around her. "I think it's for the best… in a way, she also reminded me of Sha're and what she went through. How I was unable to help her," he confessed softly. "Every time I looked at Sarah while we were talking about Osiris or something else Goa'uld-related, I couldn't help but imagine she could've been Sha're if we had been able to save her from Apophis and Amaunet."

"I can't imagine," Sam mumbled, slowly releasing him and giving his arm a last squeeze. "I know they both meant a lot to you and it just seems so unfair that you had to lose them…."

"Yeah," he sighed, defeated. "Well, if there is anything I've learned is that life isn't fair."

She nodded her understanding, but couldn't help sympathize for his losses. It made her feel like a hypocrite when she thought about the women who'd stolen Daniel's heart and he lost them every time, yet he never tired of her and her unresolved feelings for Jack over the years.

"Why are you sad?"

Daniel and Sam both looked up when they heard Nathan's small voice from the doorway.

"Ah, it's nothing," Sam replied, holding out her hand to him. "Daniel was just telling me about a friend of his; she isn't feeling very well."

"Oh," Nate mumbled, taking her hand. "I'm sorry," he looked at the man.

"Er… thanks," Daniel stammered a bit, surprised by the boy. "Well, he certainly is a lot more sensitive than Jack," he smirked at Sam, reaching out behind her to get the cutlery and take it out to the table.

Sam chuckled as he walked away, glad that the moment of sadness was over. "What were you looking for?"

"Daddy said to ask you to take care of the food," Nathan pointed at the food on the counter. "Because Auntie Ilse and Uncle Matt are here."

"They are?" Sam asked, taking the few steps to the living room to look out the window. She could see Jack walking outside, towards the end of the driveway. "They parked behind the trees?"

Nate bobbed his head, pointing at where he'd seen their car stop. "You can see it, right there."

Sam squinted, indeed seeing the car between the trees where he was indicating. "Ah, good. Well, I guess that means you should go wash your hands and get ready for lunch."


	14. Reunion

 

“Your regular rooms,” Jack told Ilse.

She nodded and picked up her baby daughter from her playpen. “Matt?”

Matt picked up their son, Sebastian, who was lying on the couch. He’d been sitting with them at the table during lunch, but he was still recuperating from a nasty stomach bug so he tired easily. Ilse and himself had almost been expecting that they wouldn’t be able to come by today, but luckily Sebastian was feeling a lot better since Christmas. At first they thought their son was a bit quiet during the holidays because of all the excitement, presents and visiting relatives, but when they had come home the 27th and he got sick they’d gone to their doctor. Apparently, Sebastian was already almost over it by then and the doctor had told them that the infectious stage was over, so it was no problem to visit family with New Year’s Eve as long as he got plenty of rest. Luckily, no one of their friends or family had been infected. Since Sebastian had been chatting almost non-stop during the one-hour drive over to Jack's house, Matt had expected him to get tired as soon as he was reunited with his cousins and when his son had started yawning after finishing his lunch he told him to go lie down and helped him get settled on the couch.

Now, everyone had finished their lunch, the table had been cleared and the dishwasher loaded. Jack and Sam had gotten everyone something to drink as they’d started moving towards the living room. Ilse had asked Jack if it was okay to bring Sebastian upstairs so he could sleep for an hour or two, while she would go feed Simone. Jack had offered to help carry Sebastian, but Matt had declined and said he might as well bring his son up so that they could also unpack their overnight bags. “We’ll be back in a bit,” he told everyone as he followed his wife out the living room and up the stairs.

“I think Jack put the bags in our room,” Ilse said over her shoulder as she crossed the landing heading to their usual rooms. When Lily was still alive she’d always had a room for her sister and her mother prepped, next to the other guest rooms and now that Jack owned the house her room was still hers – and Matt’s – and Anna’s room had been assigned to Sebastian after her passing and now that they had Simone too, they shared the room. She pressed the handle of the door to the children’s room down with her elbow and turned so she could push the door open with her shoulder, while making sure her daughter was comfortably lying in her arms.

“I’ll get the kids’ stuff,” Matt replied as he stepped into the room after her and walked over to the bed. “Do you think he’ll be all right in there?”

As she sat down in chair in the corner, Ilse looked up at him. He was gesturing towards the bed – it was an ordinary bed – and she shrugged as well as she could with her daughter in her arms. “I guess we’ll find out. I mean, it’s not his usual toddler bed but we had already talked about this, right?”

“I know,” he said in a soft tone as he placed their son on the mattress and stood back. “I just hope he won’t fall out while sleeping.”

“He’ll be fine,” she reassured him with more confidence than she felt. They had discussed this a few weeks ago after friends of theirs had asked them when they were planning to let Sebastian sleep in an ordinary bed now that their daughter had turned two and they weren’t sure if it was the best option for her. Ilse had been of the opinion that they could wait it out a bit longer, after all Sebastian was only twenty months old and they had started looking around for a new bed and other furniture for their son in the meantime. It had been a while since they had stayed over at Jack's and now Simone needed the crib to sleep in so there really wasn’t any other option for Sebastian.

“I’ll be right back,” Matt said, pointing at the door over his shoulder.

Ilse nodded and made herself comfortable on the chair, before positioning her daughter in her arms and unbuttoning her blouse. She took the small safety pin she’d placed on the right strap of her bra earlier as a reminder off and placed it on the window sill. With a practiced move, she quickly uncovered her right breast and stroked Simone’s left cheek to get her attention – and mouth – to her nipple so she could start feeding. She looked up when the door opened again and Matt walked in, holding a small green backpack and a diaper bag in his hands. “Found everything?”

“Yeah,” he whispered, watching her for a moment. He had never been the emotional type but he couldn’t help watching enthralled whenever his wife was breastfeeding their child. The sight nearly took his breath away and touched something inside of him; pride, love, possessiveness… sometimes just lust or even jealousy, but it never failed to stir _something_ inside. If anyone would have told him five years ago he’d be married to her with two kids and living a very content life, he probably would’ve laughed in their face. It was true that he’d always lusted after Ilse, had even developed a little crush on her which he had always thought was because she was one of few who didn’t reciprocate his advances and actually turned him down on _several_ occasions.

Something about the chase that kept him interested, wanting to conquer her just for once. Then, when he had finally succeeded in seducing her, he had wanted more and that surprised – even scared – him. He wasn’t the type for steady relationships, he preferred flings or just casual sex with a beautiful woman without getting attached. There was just something about her that had caught his eye the first time they met and, apparently, it weren’t her looks as he had always thought. No, it went deeper than that and for the first time in his life he had actually fallen in love with a woman who wasn’t really interested in more than a one-night-stand.

He was an artist, painting being one of his specialties and he liked using his emotions, his passion for life and his love for pretty women who warmed his bed to create a piece. According to those that were important in his area of expertise, he was quite good at it. Only when he had experienced his first case of heartbreak did he realize how important his passions were for his work. After Ilse had rejected him – again – he had created some of his… darker work. Surprisingly, it had sold pretty good as well. Apparently it was some kind of phase he had to go through and the work he produced in the meantime was highly valuable _because_ of that, according to the experts that was. It was comparable to a limited edition, his agent told him. He couldn’t have cared less as Ilse had been the only thing on his mind – he was already settled for life, if not due to his work then thanks to his successful parents.

Then, out of the blue she had contacted him. Something had happened the last time they’d been – physically – together and a bond for life had been created at that moment when she had gotten pregnant with his child. He had been elated as it meant more contact – and hopefully more – between the two of them and scared shitless at the same time. A child! If anyone wasn’t parent material, it would be him. However, Ilse had informed him politely that she would be keeping the baby and that if he were to insist he would be allowed a more involved role in the unborn child’s life. And, indirectly hers. He had thought long and hard about it, even though he knew he could never turn his back on his own flesh and blood – which was why he usually used a condom as he had when they’d been rolling around – and had tried talking to some of his friends about it, but most of them were like him; childless and loving it. Without thinking about it further, he had contacted her again and said he wanted to be there for her and the baby. She had been cool at first, almost distant and so unlike the woman he’d fallen for that it freaked him out a bit.

Eventually, he had informed his parents too – who were ecstatic, never expecting him to actually settle down – and had dragged Ilse with him for a visit. His father, a successful businessman already knew of her because of the industry and Ilse and Anna’s work and had been practically smitten with her. Matt couldn’t blame him and apparently, neither could his mother who had welcomed her with open arms too. Slowly, but surely Ilse had opened up a bit too during the week they’d been staying with them and she had shown him that side of her he loved. From then on, things had only gotten better and it hadn’t taken him long to propose and although shocked, he’d been able to convince her and before Sebastian was six months old she was pregnant again. Now, he couldn’t remember what he’d loved about his life before getting together with her and having those beautiful children.

“You’re staring,” Ilse remarked, cocking her head to the side as she studied him.

He could feel his cheeks burn and averted his gaze. “Sorry, was just thinking,” he said in a soft tone, not wanting to wake their son. He bent down and took off Sebastian’s socks, jeans and sweater, leaving him in his underwear and diaper before pulling out his PJs from the backpack. With a few creative moves he quickly changed the diaper for a new one and was able to dress his son without waking him and he gently pulled the covers over his small frame, hoping that his wife was right and the boy wouldn’t fall out of the bed. Matt looked up in time to see Ilse put her pinky in Simone’s little mouth to unlatch their greedy daughter and switch breasts. He waited until Simone was happily gulping down milk again and sat down at the foot of Sebastian’s bed. “I love you, you know” he spoke up.

Taken slightly aback, Ilse glanced up and held his intense gaze. He usually wasn’t the type to declare his love for her out of the blue, although he could be romantic at times – but that was usually when they were alone and she knew exactly what his goal was at those times. “I know,” she responded, giving him a small smile before returning her attention to their daughter.

* * *

 

“So,” Daniel drawled out as he leaned back into the couch, cradling his coffee in one hand.

“Daniel?” Jack prompted, raising his brows at his friend.

Figuring they could talk now that Ilse and her husband were upstairs, he gestured towards the entry hall – more specifically, trying to indicate the door to the basement. “A secret lab in your basement?”

“Well,” Jack smirked, “it’s no bat cave but it’ll do.”

“No seriously,” Daniel rolled his eyes, “your _office_ is in your basement?”

Frowning, Sam decided to join the conversation. “Why does that surprise you?”

“I don’t know,” he answered truthfully. “It just seems so….”

“Secretive?” Cassie supplied as he failed to find the right word.

Jack chuckled when the archeologist shrugged helplessly. “I _am_ the director of Home _world_ Security, Daniel. One needs top level clearance to even _know_ about the department.”

“I guess you have a point there,” he admitted.

Cassie took a sip of her orange juice before setting the glass back on the table. “I think it’s kind of cool, to have your own secret lair.”

“Indeed, a warrior and leader of high position needs a covert base of operations,” Teal'c agreed, bowing his head slightly towards Cassandra Fraiser.

“Especially now that we’ve installed the beaming technology here as well,” Sam elaborated. “It’s not as if Jack can just close the blinds every time someone needs to be beamed over or whenever he is having a videoconference with the JCS or the President.”

Daniel nodded pensively, seeing that they made a good argument. “So, how did you explain it to the builders? I mean, this entire place must have needed reconstruction… what, did you tell them you wanted a bunker or something?”

“No,” Jack drawled out, slowly shaking his head. “Actually, the basement didn’t need that much work; Lily had this place built with a spacious recording studio in the basement… most of downstairs was already made soundproof and as director of HWS I just have to snap my fingers and a couple of airmen will come running to secure the house and make the necessary changes.”

“Well, it was definitely secured all right,” he replied.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow at his friend. “Are you suggesting an underground base of operation wished to remain inconspicuous would not need extreme security measures, Daniel Jackson?”

“What, no of course no- Oh, very funny, Teal'c,” Daniel rolled his eyes. “So, you’re going to keep the beaming technology here, Jack?”

“Of course,” he nodded, a bit surprised by the question. “Everyone important connected to HWS has access to it so that communications and emergency situations can be handled even better. You don’t want to know how many times I’ve been flying around the globe going from Brussels to Paris to Beijing to London only to end up in DC again whenever there isn’t a ship in orbit. This will ensure less travel and saves us all a lot of frustrations, time and money – and of course, pollution.”

“So, can I have one?”

Narrowing his eyes at him, Jack leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. “You know, I would’ve expected something like that from Cassie, not you though.”

Daniel smirked and pushed up his glasses before downing the last of his coffee as Cassie giggled at the remark. “Well, it would save me a lot of time and money if I want to visit you, Jack.”

He shrugged casually. “I’ll be going back to DC in a couple of weeks and then I’ll stay there for the next couple of months.”

“Then why install it here?”

“In case I need to be here, or want to be here.”

“Because he can,” Cassie piped up, smirking.

Grinning, Jack winked at her. “That too.”

“But isn’t it dangerous?” Daniel asked, looking at both Jack and Sam. “I mean, what if the Trust or some other enemy finds out?”

 “Well, they would need an implant first,” Sam started, referring to the locator beacon they were all – with the exception of Cassie – implanted with. “Or a bracelet, like Cassie. In addition, someone would need to know how to operate the computer terminal, because it isn’t as simple as typing in ‘beam me up, Scotty’,” she continued.

“And it only works if someone _here_ uses the computer, so they would actually have to be here,” Jack added.

“They would also need a personal identification code that would have to be recognized by the program and needs to match several things, like the locator beacon and personal as well as biological data.”

Turning to Sam, Cassie cocked her head. “Is that why Boomer couldn’t have his own bracelet and I had to hold the nape of his neck?”

“Yes,” she nodded. “So far, we’ve added human DNA of course and Teal'c is also recognized – although that is not standard for all Jaffa – but we haven’t felt the urgency yet to include dog DNA. Since skin contact, like your hand and Boomer’s skin, can extend the molecular transportation simply holding hands can be used in case of lacking a locator beacon.”

“What if someone is being beamed away and their attacker grabs them?” Daniel asked, seriously.

“Well,” Jack huffed, “we try to avoid those situations, but you know those pesky politicians….”

Sam smirked and shook her head, rolling her eyes at Cassie who giggled in return. “Anyway, like I said; it requires a lot of security. The specific computer terminal has a palm scanner so it will only recognize those who have access and only after confirming your identity with the PIC and the subsequent check from the computer system will it allow a transfer.”

“Not to mention that there is a palm and iris scanner combined with a security code needed to actually enter my cozy little office,” Jack commented. “And the ones transferred will always end up on the platform in the office as you’ve noticed when you arrived, which is protected by one of those force fields so they’re trapped unless the one operating the terminal deactivates it.”

“Well, if that person is the same one who actually beamed them over willingly….” Daniel mentioned with a shrug.

Jack huffed. “At least they’ll still be locked in my office,” he stated petulantly.

“A lot of good that’s going to do if you’re in there with them.”

“Are you saying I would actually let myself be overpowered in my own office, my own house by someone with evil intentions?”

Daniel blinked at him. “I guess I am.”

“Well, I won’t.”

“You don’t know that, what if-”

“Daniel, Jack!” Sam exclaimed frustrated. “Look, we’ve taken as many precautions as we can, okay Daniel?”

“What if there is a power fluctuation?” Daniel tried again. “I mean, that thing has got to suck a lot of juice.”

Jack rolled his eyes at him. “It’s powered by one of Carter’s naquadah generators so it won’t. And even if it would, a power shortage would mean the actual beaming wouldn’t work either, now would it?”

“Actually,” Sam spoke up again, “if the naquadah generator would fail in that scenario it would probably overheat or malfunction or if it’s tampered with the results would be similar to a feedback loop….”

Looking at her, Daniel scrunched up his nose. “Which would mean…?”

“Well, let’s just say we wouldn’t have to worry about the consequences if it happened.”

“Why, Sam?” Cassie asked, curious but already having a good suspicion.

“Because we won’t be here anymore,” Jack answered instead. “Right?”

“Who won’t be here when anymore?” Ilse asked as she came down the stairs, overhearing Jack's answer.

“Ah, you’re back,” he responded, avoiding an answer.

She smiled as she stepped into the living room, Matt on her heels. “Classified?”

“Indeed,” Teal'c intoned.

“Aren’t you afraid the children will overhear?” Matt asked, as he plopped down on one of the chairs pulled from the dining room due to a shortage of seats in the living room.

“Nah,” Jack made a dismissive wave with his hands as he turned to look over his shoulder, “they’re busy playing… or not.”

Shaking her head already, Milou looked at Daddy with wide eyes. “We didn’t hear anything.”

“And yet it appears you are aware you and your siblings were the current subject of our conversation, Milou O'Neill,” Teal'c gently scolded her.

“No,” Maddy chimed in from her place next to Milou, also shaking her head. “You weren’t talking about us until Uncle Matt and Auntie Ilse came downstairs.”

“Indeed.”

Letting out a deep sigh, Jack glared at Daniel. “You see, that’s why I need a secure office.”

 

 

* * *

“Daddy,” Milou ran into the kitchen. “Can we take Boomer for a walk?”

Looking past her, Jack saw Matt standing by the door with the dog’s leash in his hands. “Sure, if that’s all right with your uncle?”

Matt grinned, nodding his head as he walked towards his niece. “Yeah, that’s fine. I don’t mind being in the company of two pretty girls,” he winked at Milou and Maddy, who giggled. “Besides, my wife is busy anyway and I don’t want to wake the kids yet.”

“Are Daniel and Ilse still talking?” Sam asked as she was making tea.

“Yep,” Jack confirmed after glancing in the living room. “They look quite engrossed.”

“Apparently they can bond over their love for artifacts,” Matt rolled his eyes as he handed Milou the leash. He didn’t really mind Ilse talking to Jack's friend because he knew she enjoyed discussing such topics, but they had been at it for two hours already!

“Yeah, Danny boy definitely loves his rocks,” he replied in an exasperated tone. “I probably should’ve given you a heads-up.”

Matt shrugged, knowing it wouldn’t have made much of a difference. Ilse had already told him that she and Daniel had gotten off on the right foot a few years ago when they had met at Sam's engagement party and they talked occasionally when she was staying over at Jack's and the archeologist would visit. “Milou, why don’t you and Maddy go get Boomer ready, huh?”

Nodding, Milou grabbed her sister’s arm and ran over to the fatboy bean bag in the corner of the living room Boomer had claimed as his pillow. “C’mon Boomer,” she told the dog as she reached for his collar. Cassie had shown her how to do this a while ago when she’d been old enough to do it herself before joining Daddy and Cassie while walking Boomer.

“Cassie,” Maddy turned towards the couch where she was sitting on as her sister was taking care of the leash. “Can we take some cookies for Boomer with us?”

“I gave them to your Dad,” Cassie replied, glancing up from the book she’d been reading. She knew she wasn’t being very sociable right now, but she figured she could read up on the latest medical journals before they were really going to celebrate New Year’s Eve. With everyone around, it was surprisingly quiet and once she was engrossed in her reading she could hardly be disturbed.

“I’ve got them,” Matt exclaimed as he ushered the girls and the dog towards the door.

“Bye!”

“Bye, be careful,” Jack replied and went into the living room. “We got you coffee.”

Sam stepped up to Jack and looked at the occupants of the room. “Daniel, Cassie, Ilse?”

“What?” Daniel looked up. “Did you say something?”

“Coffee,” Jack smirked as he handed him and Ilse a cup and sat down.

Looking around, Ilse frowned. “Where is everyone?”

“Matt took the girls and Boomer out for a walk,” he explained.

Sam placed Cassie’s cup on the coffee table and sat down next to Jack on the sofa, her own mug of tea cradled in her hands. “He said Sebastian and Simone were still asleep and that he didn’t want to wake them yet.”

“Oh, well he could’ve at least said something,” Ilse huffed, finally looking at her cup. “Jack, I don’t drink coffee.”

He smirked at her. “I figured you wouldn’t have noticed, what with you and Daniel getting all excited about ancient things.”

“Well I did,” she replied, still frowning at the black liquid. “Matt can drink it when he gets back, is it all right if I make myself some tea?”

“Oh, I already made some, help yourself,” Sam told her, holding up her mug as she jerked her head towards the kitchen.

Surprised, Daniel glanced between her and her mug. “You’re drinking tea, Sam?”

“Yes?”

“Something wrong with that?” Jack asked, glaring at the younger man.

“No, of course not,” he hastened himself to say, smiling sheepishly. “It’s just that Sam usually drinks coffee too.”

She shrugged as she snuggled closer to Jack, allowing him to throw his arm around her shoulders. “Well, I like tea too.” He was right though, she usually drank coffee but now that she knew she was pregnant she didn’t want to drink too much of it and had decided to start drinking more tea.

“When did Matt and the kids leave?” Ilse asked as she rejoined them and sat down next to Daniel, giving him a small smile.

“Oh just now,” Jack glanced at the clock. “Can’t have been more than five minutes ago, why?”

“Well, I don’t want the kids to sleep too long. Sebastian needs to get some sleep tonight too and it will only be more difficult for him to fall asleep once the fireworks start. Simone isn’t really a problem, she can sleep anytime anywhere but I need to feed her in a few.”

Sam cocked her head and gave her an inquisitive look. “I thought the fireworks wouldn’t start until midnight? Surely Sebastian will be asleep by then?”

“Oh no, fireworks are allowed since ten o’clock this morning. We’re just lucky Jack's neighbors haven’t started yet but it won’t be much longer. The kids around here usually love to start early and I doubt they will be able to get rid of everything they’ve bought if they wait until midnight.”

“Yeah, I was surprised too, last year they were much earlier,” Jack commented. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing because I doubt Boomer would’ve liked to go outside with all the fireworks around.”

Hearing her dog’s name, Cassie finally looked up from her journal. “What is that about Boomer?”

“That he doesn’t like fireworks,” Daniel replied. “Can’t blame him, I don’t really like them either.”

“Oh, I have a sleeping pill for him otherwise he’s going to be scared all night,” Cassie explained. Boomer had been scared out of his mind the first time they had been celebrating New Year’s Eve and since then she made sure to give him a mild sedative so he could sleep through most of the evening and the night. “I’ll go get it before I forget.”

“I don’t like the explosives,” Ilse said, “but I do like the skyrockets. Can watch those for hours, to be honest.”

Sam took a sip from her tea before responding. “I usually love blowing things up, but I get to do that a lot already at work so….”

“I like the Jumping Jacks,” Jack smirked. “The kids love the firecrackers too.”

“You let them use fireworks?” Daniel almost gasped in shock.

Making a dismissive hand gesture, Jack sighed. “I got them some bang snaps, they’re harmless and they can hold some sparklers.”

“Matt and I brought safety fuses with us,” Ilse offered. “Maybe we can give those to the kids and let them light a fuse of a skyrocket with those. Lily and I used to do it all the time with those and your Dad used to let me use his cigar.”

“We’ll see,” he replied, “have to make sure it’s safe before even considering it.”

“Of course,” she agreed, sipping her tea. “Where are Teal'c and Nathan?”

“Nathan insisted on showing Teal'c his collection of toys,” Sam smirked, imagining the tall Jaffa playing with Lego or G.I. Joe.

Cassie walked into the room again and wordlessly handed Jack the pills she’d gotten Boomer, which he pocketed. “I was just thinking,” she started, turning to Sam as she sat back on the comfy chair she’d only vacated minutes ago, “I haven’t even seen your engagement ring yet!”

“Me neither!” Ilse and Daniel simultaneously exclaimed.

Sam smiled shyly as she glanced at Jack, before pulling out the dog tags from under her collar. The elegant white gold ring was dangling from the ball of chain and she quickly unfastened the chain to place the ring on her finger. “I love it,” she said, extending her hand towards Cassie and smiling gratefully at Jack.

“It’s so you,” Cassie replied, in awe. It certainly wasn’t that gaudy ring Pete had given her and looking at it just said ‘Sam’ to her. “Good choice,” she told Jack, who was smiling smugly.

“Sam, let me see,” Daniel reached for her wrist and inadvertently almost pulled his friend from the couch. “Yeah, really you, Sam! Simple, yet elegant and the white gold looks a lot better with your complexion than, ah…” he was about to say Pete’s ring, but quickly changed his mind, “yellow gold.”

“You should wear it around your finger all the time,” Cassie continued, smiling slightly. “Well, once you get married and it’s legal of course. But I’m sure you could still work it while working in the lab, at least the diamond won’t get caught on anything.”

“It’s lovely,” Ilse agreed as Daniel steered Sam's hand in her line of sight. “Round brilliant-cut natural diamond gemstone, crossover shoulders, highly polished white gold band,” she murmured to herself as she grabbed Sam's fingers and moved the ring into the light for a better view. “A bar-set 0.10ct diamond solitaire in a handmade solid 18ct white gold band?” She asked Jack, glancing up from her examination.

“Dead on,” he smirked, before reaching to grab Sam's hand himself and press a kiss to the ring.

“Well, I did work a lot on jewelry in the past,” Ilse replied, smiling proudly at the fact that she still had it.

 


	15. New Year's Eve

“So, when do you have to go back to school?” Matt asked, looking down at the two girls, each holding one of his hands. Milou was on his right, holding Boomer’s leash as the dog was trained not to pull on it and Madison was on his left.

“Monday,” Milou replied, stopping as Boomer started sniffing a lamp post. 

Matt stopped walking as well, patiently waiting for the dog to start walking again. He liked animals but had never had one with the exception of goldfish. His parents had both been very busy when he was growing up and thus they had made sure he had an au pair who could take care of him when they were unavailable. Over the years there had been several women, but there had been one who’d stayed for a couple of years, Mimi, and she had a dog too. His parents had never been willing to take a pet, but as the guest house had been available for the au pair they hadn’t been bothered by her dog and he himself had always loved taking the animal out for his daily walks with Mimi.

He’d even considered taking a dog when he’d become an adult and bought his own studio and apartment. However, he’d realized he didn’t have the correct lifestyle to keep a dog and only when he and Ilse had gotten together had he thought about it again. His wife had made no secret of the fact that she loved animals and thought that it would be good for their children to learn responsibility by taking care of a pet when they were older. It was just because the kids were so young that he hadn’t mentioned getting a dog yet; he wasn’t sure it would be safe. For now he would just enjoy the company of Boomer like he usually did when they were visiting Jack, and Cassie and her dog were there too. “Only four more days, huh?”

Maddy bobbed her head in acknowledgement. “Yes, I already made my assignments.”

“Very good,” he replied, remembering that Jack had pulled them from school earlier than the school holiday was supposed to begin. If he recalled correctly, they had already left the first week of December, instead of the twentieth and therefore their teachers had given them a few assignments. “Are you excited to go back?”

“Yes,” Maddy said enthusiastically. “I want to see my friends and tell them about Mommy!”

Noticing Milou kept quiet, he squeezed her hand. “What about you, sweetie?”

“Dunno,” she shrugged, still looking at Boomer. “Miss Julia said that maybe I would go to a new class after the vacation….”

“Ah,” Matt said thoughtfully. He knew that the three children were in the same class because they were only eight months apart, but Milou had turned five over two months ago and had already spent one year – starting the day after she turned four – in kindergarten. From what Ilse had told him, he knew that they usually kept children in the first year when they had enrolled at only four years of age and sometimes they would stay for a year and a half. Milou, however was born in October and as far as he understood that was a complicated matter as children born before the first of October were considered early or young students, who would normally spend about a year in the first year of kindergarten while those born after the first of October were considered late students meaning they would start in the first year and after the summer vacation they would go back to the same year, meaning they’d stay there for about a year and a half.

Teachers would sometimes make an exception for children born in October and allow them to pass the year and go to the next year after the vacation. Apparently, Milou's teacher had decided that she could go to the second year of kindergarten after Christmas because she was ready for that. But, that would also mean she’d be without her siblings in the same class and also a lot of her friends, probably. He could understand her apprehension, even though he knew that her teacher was right as Milou was bright and could probably use a bit more of a challenge in school. “Well, maybe you’ll end up in the same class as some of your older friends and you could even make new ones. Just because you’re not in the same class,” he gestured between them while still holding her hand, “doesn’t mean you can’t spend time together after school with your other friends.”

“I guess,” she gave him a small smile and started walking again after Boomer decided he’d had enough. “Uncle Matt, what is going to happen after Mommy and Daddy get married?”

Taken aback, Matt frowned, looking down at the two curious faces. “Er… what do you mean?”

“Daddy lives here with us,” Maddy spoke up in a small voice, waving her free hand around, “but Mommy doesn’t.”

“Will we go back to Washington?”

“I honestly don’t know,” he replied, thinking of a way to change the subject. Jack had told them he’d be going back to DC in a couple of weeks, like he usually did – spending a couple of months here and the rest in DC or Minnesota every year – and with the kids going to an international school the changing of countries wasn’t a big problem. “I guess it depends on when the wedding is and where Sam gets stationed.” Ilse had told him that Sam had been relieved of command a few weeks ago and was still awaiting reassignment. He knew that Jack's job – whatever that was _exactly_ – could be done from Europe and the US, so it wasn’t very difficult for him to change households. Sam, however, was a colonel not a general and he doubted she could just get stationed wherever she wanted. “Maybe you guys will stay here a little longer while Sam has to go back earlier.”

Maddy and Milou both gasped, but Milou was the one who said what was on their mind. “Mommy would leave us?”

“No!” Matt hastened himself to say, before the two youngsters would burst out in tears. “No, she wouldn’t really leave you, she would just have to go back to work earlier and then when Jack takes you back to the US you’ll be together again,” he tried to explain. It still amazed him somewhat how attached the girls – and even Nathan, who was usually a bit more reserved – had gotten to Sam in such a short time. Although Ilse had told him that Sam had met Milou over two years ago and how they had almost instantly bonded. As far as he knew, Jack and Sam hadn’t gotten together until last month even though they’d always had very strong feelings for one another – or so Ilse kept telling him – and if he hadn’t seen them together with his own eyes, he might have thought that they were getting married a bit soon. Especially with Sam ready to adopt the children right away, but Ilse had already given them her blessing and she knew Jack – even Sam – much better than he did.

Still, it was strange to hear his nieces call someone their mom after such a short amount of time. The longer he thought about it, though the less strange it became though; they had never had a mother as Jack and Ilse's half-sister – their biological mother – had died giving birth to the twins and Milou had only been eight months old at the time so he doubted she could remember Lily. The kids had never seemed to be too upset about not having a mother as Jack had been doing a great job as a single parent and Ilse had always been there for them, whenever they needed her. He knew the kids had actually been spending a lot of time with her during vacations and such even if Jack wasn’t there himself. Still, most of their friends had two parents – whether those were together or not – and yet they had never mentioned anything about missing a mother. Ilse had been the closest thing to a mother they had, but they had always called her ‘Auntie Ilse’. Thinking back he realized it hadn’t become a real issue until Sebastian started talking and calling Ilse ‘Mommy’. Most likely, it had shown them the difference between the roles Ilse played in their lives, that she was actually Sebastian’s mother and ‘just’ their aunt.

“Why?” Milou asked as they turned a corner, bringing them closer to home.

Matt frowned, startled from his musings. “Why what?”

“Why would she have to leave us for work?”

“Because she’s in the Air Force,” he replied.

Maddy, genuinely confused, tugged on his arm. “But so is Daddy.”

“Well, yes, but he has a higher rank and a secure position, while Sam is awaiting reassignment. That means she will have to go where the military wants her,” he added.

Handing over Boomer’s leash to Uncle Matt, Milou sighed deeply and started walking in front of them as the path narrowed. “But what about the baby?”

“What baby?” Matt inquired, dumbfounded.

“Mommy’s baby,” she said.

“And Daddy’s,” Madison added, bobbing her head.

Looking from the girl on his left hand to the one walking in front of him, he wondered what they were talking about. Glancing at Boomer didn’t give him any answers either as the dog just kept walking on the grass to his right. Matt figured that they assumed Jack and Sam were having a baby because they were getting married and he remembered Jack telling him that Milou had even asked them once if they were having one. Apparently, she had caught him and Sam making out and the girl had assumed they were having a baby because they’d been kissing like he himself and Ilse always were and they’d had a baby. Matt knew that most parents used to tell their kids that married people had babies but these days that was almost the exception instead of the rule. He briefly wondered if that was what was on the kids’ minds. “There is no baby, not yet maybe later,” he tried.

“But-”

“So, you must really be excited to have Boomer stay with you for a while,” Matt interrupted Milou, hoping he could change the subject before they were going to ask him difficult questions.

Maddy frowned at him, before glancing at the dog. “Yeah, I really like Boomer, he’s so sweet!”

“He is,” Milou confirmed, grinning at the dog. “Daddy is always saying he wants a dog but wants us to be older. He thinks we’re too young to take care of a dog,” she huffed.

“We’re not,” Maddy shook her head petulantly. “We can walk Boomer every day and feed him. He really likes it when I brush his hair.”

“I don’t know,” Matt said slowly, “a dog is a lot of work… a big responsibility.”

“We know that,” Milou replied, sticking her nose in the air. “We can do it, Boomer loves us and Cassie can come visit him.”

Matt smiled at their behavior, it was obvious the girls didn’t mind taking care of the dog and thought that they could handle it. Maybe they could, with help from Jack and Sam of course, but he was idly wondering if they would still be saying the same after walking the dog at least three times a day, even when it was raining. He knew from his own experience with Mimi’s dog that it was fun as long as it was _optional_ , when it became mandatory it could be… less fun, especially if you were tied to the dog for several years. “Of course,” he agreed. “I guess your Dad is pleased to have Boomer, even if Sam had to trick him into accepting,” he smirked when he remembered how Jack had whined to them about how Sam had used her feminine wiles to get her way. “He seems very happy as does Sam.”

“Daddy doesn’t really mind,” Milou grinned, recalling how he’d tried protesting even though she knew he liked having Boomer around. “But they’re so happy because of the baby.”

“Milou, honey,” Matt tried again, still puzzled as to why she wouldn’t let it go, “they’re not having a baby yet.”

“They are,” Madison protested, wondering why Uncle Matt seemed to think otherwise.

He stopped walking to look at the two of them and sighed. “Girls, I don’t know what makes you think so but Sam isn’t pregnant.” He didn’t even know if they wanted kids of their own, after all they already had three youngsters to take care of, although he suspected Sam would want another baby as he’d seen her with Simone. But they had to be realistic about this; Sam and Jack hadn’t been together for that long and it was a huge decision, not to mention that they were both getting older. He knew Jack was already in his mid-fifties and he thought Ilse had told him that Sam had just turned forty – although she could easily pass for a couple of years younger. Even if the couple wanted more children, there was no guarantee that they’d be able to get pregnant.

“She is,” Milou insisted, nodding her head.

“Loo-”  

Pulling on his arm, Maddy tried to get his attention and, lowering her voice, whispered. “I can feel it too.”

“What do you mean?” Matt watched the girls shrug and exchange glances.

“Just that we can feel it.”

He frowned and moved his hands in the air in confusion. “Feel what and how?”

“The baby,” Milou explained patiently, “in Mommy.”

“You can feel the baby inside of Sam?” Matt reiterated skeptically, raising his brows as he looked from one to the other. “How? What are you saying, that you can _sense_ it?”

Madison bobbed her head, glad that he finally understood. “Yes, like I can feel Nate and Daddy,” she shrugged and pointed at her sister, “and Milou.”

“Me too.”

“Right,” he replied pensively, still not convinced. “Well, I can’t _sense_ it so I really can’t say,” he shrugged, trying to avoid more questions about this supposed pregnancy. “You should ask Jack or Sam about it.”

“We don’t have to,” Milou stated knowingly, “we already know.”

“Okay,” Matt drawled out, slightly skeptical about all of this but unwilling to burst their bubble just yet. He’d let Jack deal with them, he had his own children to worry about and although he didn’t really believe it he couldn’t deny it with certainty either. The girls definitely seemed to believe it themselves. “Well, let’s just go home before those kids,” he waved over his shoulder in the direction of where they’d seen some children in the distance, “start lighting their fireworks and poor Boomer will get scared.”

“Okay,” the sisters agreed and started walking the last few meters to their home.

* * *

 

Looking up at his large friend, Nathan smiled proudly. “What do you think, Teac?”

“Indeed, you have a most impressive collection of objects to play with, Nathan O'Neill,” he replied, opting not to correct the child as he remembered his sibling used to have trouble pronouncing his name as well.

“Do you like them?”

Teal'c raised an inquiring eyebrow as he took in the youngster's room again. “I find them very… colorful,” he said pensively. “These are rather fragile,” he picked up one of the plastic action figurines the boy had shown him and once again wondered what its purpose was. “And what purpose do those serve?”

Nathan looked at his G.I. Joe and Major Matt Mason dolls and the race track his friend meant. “Well, Daddy says we have to learn to be careful,” he replied, taking the dolls and placing them back on their shelf. “And my race track is just awesome.”

“How is it ‘awesome’?” Teal'c questioned, stepping closer to the colorful plastic circuit. “I fail to see how this is educative or entertaining.” Ever since pledging his allegiance to the Tau'ri he had learned there were many reasons they acquired particular items and most often the underlying reason would be entertainment. For a Jaffa warrior like himself it seemed rather foolish and unnecessary to idle during spare time while one could be training.

Slightly disappointed, Nathan walked over to him and reached inside the box that was placed against the wall for his cars. “Don’t you like race cars, Teac?”

“Indeed, I do not understand the appeal of these miniature automobiles.”

“Have you ever tried playing with them?” He asked, offering him one car as he hunched down and placed his yellow race car on the track. “It’s fun, honest!”

Raising his eyebrow, Teal'c leaned down as well and carefully placed the red colored automobile on the circuit. “Very well,” he intoned.

“Here,” Nathan handed him the remote belonging to the other track and grabbed his own too. “Now you have to race me to the finish. This,” he pointed at one of the buttons, “makes it go faster and that other one will slow it down, because you can’t go through the bends at high speed. Oh and you have to steer with that,” he motioned towards the mini joystick.

“I see,” he bowed his head slightly before examining the remote control in his hands.

“Teac, Daddy said you have a son too.”

“Indeed, I do,” he confirmed.

Puzzled, Nate glanced sideways at him. “Didn’t he have race cars to play with?”

“My son Rya'c was raised to become a warrior, like all Jaffa. When a kal’ma,” seeing the boy’s puzzled expression, Teal'c explained, “a child is able to walk on Chulak he will engage in activities that will teach him how to hunt, trail, fight and train their perceptiveness.”

“How?” Nathan asked, curious about his new friend’s life, totally forgetting about his race cars.

Teal'c sat down cross-legged, placed the remote control on the floor next to him and waited for Nathan O'Neill to join him, before elaborating. “An infant and young child will play with wooden objects, carved out of trees or branches and round objects to improve their hand-eye coordination.”

“Like playing catch?”

“Indeed,” he inclined his head in acknowledgement. “They will learn to walk with food and water balancing on their head and as they get older, they will have to perform this act while walking over a ledge or trunk before the age of six of your years.”

Nathan gasped, impressed. “Wow.”

“To improve their trailing and hunting skills they will engage in a social activity called gem’aam. It requires one child to be allowed to leave for the woods or grassy meadows and then a group of ten children will have to trail the other child. The first child must remain inconspicuous and will have to learn how to cover its tracks, while the other children will learn to follow a trail and capture the enemy. On special occasions as when one of the children of the arush-”

“What’s an arush?”

“A village,” Teal'c explained patiently. “Before the prim’ta is performed-”

“What’s a prim’ta?”

Thinking, Teal'c attempted to find a proper term the young Tau'ri could relate to. “It is when a child comes of age and will receive a young symbiote to make him stronger and prolong his life. Do you understand, Nathan O'Neill?”

Nate bobbed his head enthusiastically. “Yes, I think so.”

“Good. Before the prim’ta is performed for one of the children they will engage in gem’aam to hunt an animal as a reward.”

“What if they can’t find it?”

Letting one of the corners of his mouth droop slightly, Teal'c replied in disdain. “Then the child is not worthy to receive the prim’ta.”

“That’s not really fair,” Nathan argued, “what if it’s not his fault?”

“The children will have to work together to find the animal, if they cannot they are not ready to become a true Jaffa warrior.”

He nodded slowly, trying to understand. “But they can’t always play that, what if it’s raining or storming outside?”

“A true Jaffa will not be deterred by the conditions of the weather. However, there are other indoor activities to teach observance for those who will serve their God in the temple when they are old enough. A parent might also train their offspring’s perceptiveness by misplacing or hiding an item in a room for the child to find. It will allow a warrior to ascertain whether others have been in a room during their absence in later years.”

“I understand,” Nathan said, then turned thoughtful. “What if they don’t want to become a warrior?”

“Becoming a warrior to serve your God is great honor,” Teal'c replied, “or so the Goa'uld wanted us to believe.”

“Can’t they become a teacher? Or an astronaut? Or make buildings?”

“Indeed they cannot,” he shook his head slowly.

“But a warrior has to fight,” Nathan cocked his head, “and maybe kill. Daddy says there is nothing honorable about killing someone and if you can, you have to avoid that path and study to become smart like Mommy.”

“O'Neill is very wise,” Teal'c retorted, a hint of a smile on his face. “Indeed there is no reason for unnecessary bloodshed.”

“Did you want to become a warrior Teac?”

Raising an eyebrow, he looked at the child. “I did not have a choice. Now, however, Jaffa are free to become what they want.”

Gnawing his lip, Nate stood and grabbed his remote again. “But when you were little, what did you want to do when you got older?”

“I wanted to become an honorable warrior like my father was before he was killed by his God after losing an impossible battle. After my mother and I were exiled, I vowed to become the strongest warrior so I could become the First Prime of one of his enemies to exact revenge.”

“Daddy says revenge makes you bitter,” Nathan remarked seriously.

“Indeed it does,” Teal'c intoned wistfully. “What do you want to become in the future, Nathan O'Neill?” he inquired, trying to steer the subject in a different direction. Tau'ri children were, unlike Jaffa, much more innocent and he did not want to take that away from O'Neill’s child.

“I don’t know,” he shrugged and handed Teac his remote. “Maybe a race car driver! C’mon Teac.”

Teal'c accepted the remote control and directed his attention on the plastic circuit and his miniature automobile. “Very well.”

“Good luck,” Nate smirked as he pressed down on the circuit’s button that signaled the start.

* * *

 

“Ah, is the little princess finally awake?” Matt asked teasingly when he walked into the living room and saw his wife, Cassie and Sam fussing over his daughter, who was lying on a blanket in front of the fireplace.

“Yep,” Jack replied from where he was sitting on the couch. “She’s got the women all wrapped around her little finger.”

“That’s my girl,” he smirked, plopping down in the recliner. Glancing between Sam and Jack, he decided not to bring up the pregnancy his nieces had been talking about. “Boomer is in the entry hall with the girls, they’re brushing him and feeding him dog biscuits.”

“You guys didn’t run into any fireworks?”

“Nah,” Matt shook his head. “There were a couple of kids down the road heading this direction, but nothing yet.”

“Oh great,” Jack muttered, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

Daniel frowned, looking at his friend. “What is it, Jack?”

“There’s this abandoned little farm about a klick from here,” he waved in its general direction, “and it has large empty pastures….”

Ilse stood up from her bent position and left her daughter on the blanket with Sam and Cassandra to watch her. “Ah yes,” she smirked, turning towards the men, “carbide shooting!”

Jack nodded an affirmative. “Yep, there usually are a couple of kids who go there on New Year’s Eve to shoot carbide from milk cans or adjusted gas cylinders.”

“Why?” Daniel asked, surprised and confused.

“Why?” Ilse reiterated in a disbelieving voice. “Because it’s pretty cool!”

“And very noisy,” Jack complained.

Sam turned her upper body, still seated on the floor in front of Simone and next to Cassie. “They use calcium carbide as an explosive?”

“Yeah,” Ilse bobbed her head, recognizing Sam's curious face already. “You just stuff it in the can, add water, close it, place the can on its side and then you light it from a small opening you’ve already created in the bottom.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?” Daniel questioned, thinking that it wasn’t a very smart idea to put something explosive in an enclosed space.

She shrugged casually as she sat down on Matt’s lap. “Not really, you just have to make sure there is nothing in front of the lid because it’ll blow off and land several meters away.”

“Of course,” Sam bobbed her head enthusiastically. “If you add water-”

“Some actually use saliva or simply pee on it,” Ilse grimaced.

“Gross,” she mumbled, before continuing her explanation. “Adding water to calcium carbide forms acetylene, which is highly flammable. If that is formed in an enclosed space like a milk can with a lid on it, there will be an explosion shooting off the lid.”

“For some reason teenagers love doing that to celebrate New Year’s Eve,” Jack groaned. “And I’m not talking just one can…”

Ilse nodded, agreeing. “It’s a contest, who can shoot off the lid the furthest.”

“Well, it does require the right amounts of carbide and water and the timing has to be good for an optimal result,” Sam mumbled.

“Don’t look so disapproving, Daniel,” Ilse smirked, “it’s tradition around here. Actually stems from an old pagan religious practice intended to chase off spirits during Yule-tide, a winter festival that was celebrated from late December to early January on a date determined by the lunar Germanic calendar.”

Gnawing her lip, Sam glanced up at Jack. “I’d like to see it.”

“Of course you do,” he sighed, rolling his eyes.

“Don’t worry, Jack,” Ilse said in a soothing tone, “I’ll take her tonight. I’m sure you would only scare those poor kids away.”

“Daddy, Mommy!” Milou almost yelled as she ran inside the living room, Maddy and Boomer on her heels. “Ah, hi,” she said shyly when everyone turned to her with a questioning look.

Jack cocked his head, giving her and Maddy a quick onceover and – seeing nothing wrong with them – raised his brows. “What were you yelling about?”

“Where are the boys?”

“I dropped Sebastian off in Nathan’s room where he and Teal'c were playing with some Lego,” Ilse replied.

“Daddy can we-”

“Go,” Jack waved his hand and watched his girls ran back to where they came from – rushing by a confused Boomer – and heard their little feet run up the stairs after a minute. He turned back and settled against the back of the couch, watching as Sam focused all her attention on his little niece. It wasn’t hard for him to imagine her with their baby in eight or nine months. “Wait,” he tore his eyes away from his fiancée and looked at Ilse, “Teal'c was playing with Lego?”

“Yep,” she bobbed her head, “looked quite engrossed, actually. It looked like they were building some kind of fort or maybe a ship…. It seems Nate had also shown him his race cars because they were scattered all over the floor.”

 

* * *

“Getting tired already?” Jack asked when Sam tried to stifle a yawn. “Or am I that boring?”

She giggled, shaking her head as she threw her arms around him. “No, not boring at all,” she mumbled, before capturing his lips with hers.

Feeling her tongue tracing his lips, Jack slowly opened his mouth to allow her entrance. He could taste traces of the chocolate cake she’d had for dessert – leftover cake from her birthday – when their tongues touched and he reveled in the taste of her as he thrust his tongue between her open lips to explore her mouth. His hands had a mind of their own as they slid down her back and pulled her flush against his body, enjoying her soft contours pressing against his hard planes. Her lips were firm but pliant against his mouth, warm and wet as her tongue darted out to taste him. Feeling the need to breathe, Jack tried to pull back as she nipped on his lower lip with her teeth. “God Sam,” he groaned, resting his forehead against hers.

“Hmm,” she moaned, her eyes closed as she inhaled his scent and enjoyed his closeness, the warmth of his body.

“So, not boring huh?” He asked, trying to sound casual but his tone of voice was hoarse, making him clear his throat.

“No, I guess I’m just a bit tired,” Sam replied, standing on her toes to nuzzle his neck.

Jack moved one of his hands to her front and splayed his fingers over her taut stomach. “Because of…?” 

“I doubt it,” she returned in the same quiet tone, her voice slightly muffled as she pressed soft kisses on his skin. “Normally we wouldn’t have even known yet.”

He shrugged, tightening his grip on her. Not yet wanting to let her go, leave the kitchen and join the others in the living room. Everyone assumed they were cleaning up from the cooking and doing the dishes and the kids were playing a game with Daniel as referee apparently, if his remarks were anything to go by. “But we do,” Jack retorted, nuzzling her hair, enjoying the silky feeling in his face.

“It’s probably just the excitement and being around so many people,” she explained, still adjusting to family life with Jack and his children and now there were five more adults, a toddler, a baby and a dog present.

“Maybe you should lie down for a moment,” he suggested, pulling back slightly to look her in the eye – despite enjoying her lips on his neck. “It’s still a few hours until midnight and I’m putting the kids to bed soon too.”

“Nah,” Sam shook her head, frowning at him. “Now that I’m stuffed with food, I don’t think it’s a good idea to lie down. Besides, if I fall asleep now, I probably have trouble sleeping through the night.”

“I don’t mind tiring you before letting you fall asleep later tonight,” he smirked, waggling his eyebrows.

She snorted, giving him a playful pat on the chest as she disentangled herself from him. “I think we should probably join the others, otherwise they might come looking.”

“Right,” Jack nodded, “don’t want Milou to catch us making out again.”

Both laughing, they made their way over to the living room. The children were sitting around the coffee table, a board game in the middle and Daniel had obviously switched roles with Cassie as the young woman was now keeping a close eye on the game and he and Ilse were chatting amicably. Teal'c and Matt – with Sebastian on his lap – were talking as well, with Teal'c apparently inquiring about the functional and educational value of children’s toys.

“What’cha doing, campers?”

Sam rolled her eyes behind his back and plopped down graciously on the couch, patting on the empty space in the corner for her fiancé to sit. “Looks like they’re playing a game.”

“Monopoly Junior,” Cassie replied, gesturing towards the board and the bank sitting on the corner of the table.

“Ooh,” Jack's interest was piqued and he peered over the heads of the kids to see how it was progressing, before sitting down next to Sam. “Who’s winning?”

The twins looked up with a fierce determination on both their faces. “Me!”

“I am!” Milou exclaimed.

“Gee, looks like a tie to me,” he chuckled.

“That’s not funny, Daddy,” Milou scowled at him. “Cassie, who’s winning?”

“Ah,” she glanced around the board and looked at their cash, “it looks like Maddy is winning,” she said hesitantly.

Madison almost squealed with joy, sticking her tongue at her siblings and fidgeting with her money. “I’m winning!”

“Well,” Jack sighed and looked at his watch, “it’s almost time for bed.”

“But Daddy, I can beat her,” Milou pleaded with big eyes, pouting for the effect.

Sam leaned forward and patted her arm soothingly. “Another time, sweetie. Madison is way ahead of both of you.”

“I won, I won!” Maddy exclaimed, smirking. “Can I stay up, Daddy?”

“Nope, time for bed, munchkin.”

She frowned, handing Cassie her winnings as they cleared the board. “But I won…”

“So?” Jack questioned, looking at their faces.

“What about my prize?” She asked, pouting. “You can let me stay up because I won.”

“But I want to stay up, too,” Milou tried. “I’m not going to fall asleep anyway so why can’t we stay up with you?”

“Even if you don’t sleep,” Jack started, knowing they’d all fall asleep within minutes, “at least you’ll rest.”

“Fine,” she mumbled, knowing Daddy wouldn’t let her stay up. “Just don’t forget to wake us up before midnight!”

“We won’t,” he chuckled, standing up from the couch to bring them upstairs.

Maddy stood up and walked over to her aunt. “Auntie Ilse, will you tuck me in and read me a story?”

“Ah, sure,” she replied, glancing at Jack for approval – which he gave.

“Daddy, you can stay here, Mommy can tuck me in,” Milou said, tugging on Sammie’s hand.

Surprised, Jack looked at his son. “Natha-”

“I want Teac to tuck me in,” Nate interrupted him. “He hasn’t seen my glow in the dark stars yet.”

“Indeed, I have not,” he replied solemnly. “After O'Neill has secured you in bed for sleep, I will visit your bedroom to observe these stars, Nathan O'Neill.”

“Okay,” he nodded, satisfied. “G’night everyone,” he murmured, shyly giving his aunt, Cassie and Mommy a kiss before grabbing his father’s hand. “Daddy?”

“We’ll be right back,” Jack told Matt, Teal'c, Cassie and Daniel.

Ilse reached out both hands, one for Sebastian and one for Maddy, ready to take them both upstairs. “C’mon kids.”

Nursing a beer, Matt waited for his son to slid from his lap and glanced at the playpen. “What about Simone?”

“Erm,,” she hesitated, grasping both hands. She knew that he and Teal'c had been talking before the children had to go upstairs and figured they’d want to resume their conversation. She wanted Matt to feel comfortable around Jack's friends so she was happy that he was talking to the Jaffa. “I’ll get her later, you don’t have to get up.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” she nodded, giving him a small smile as she and the children made their way to the stairs, Jack and Sam already having preceded them with Nathan and Milou.

“Ah,” Daniel placed his empty coffee cup on the table and looked at her. “I can take her upstairs if you want.”

“Oh, you don’t have to,” Ilse objected, not wanting him to feel obligated.

He held up his hand and pushed himself up from the chair with the other. “No, I _want_ to, she’s a real sweetheart and this way you don’t have to walk twice and Teal'c and Matt can continue talking.” Daniel walked over to the playpen without waiting for her reply and picked up the young girl with ease. It had been a while since he last handled a baby, but it was something you didn’t forget, like riding a bicycle. “Time for bed, little one,” he mumbled as she regarded him with curious green eyes.

Watching the others leave, Teal'c turned his attention to the activity the children had been engaged in. “Cassandra Fraiser, what is the purpose of such an activity?”

Cassie looked up from the box after stuffing the last piece back in it. “Um,” she thought for a moment about his question, somewhat surprised with his sudden interest about games and toys. “Well, it teaches them to handle money…”

“Is the currency not fictional?”

“Yes, but it’s the idea behind it,” she tried to explain.

“It teaches them to think ahead,” Matt chimed in, “how to plan their strategy in order to win. They’ll learn to understand that sometimes you need to trade or buy a street from someone else, or sell it for a better deal.”

“And games teach them how to lose graciously.”

Teal'c raised his eyebrow in surprise. “Is the purpose of this activity not to win by owning as many streets and build houses on them in order to gain the most currency?”

“Well, yes,” she frowned, “but there is always only one winner and more losers.”

“How can one lose graciously?” He questioned. “There is nothing graceful about being incapable of winning.”

“So,” Matt nodded pensively, “I take it you didn’t do a lot of board games growing up?”

“Indeed, I did not,” he inclined his head.

Cassie tried to stifle a chuckle and bit her lip in supreme effort. “It’s a game, Teal'c. In the end it’s not about winning, but about playing and having a good time.”

“Ah, spoken like a true loser,” Matt quipped, smirking.

“No,” she objected, “I used to win all the time. I have actually beaten Jack a few times at chess and even Sam once!”

“Out of how many games?” He teased her, still smirking.

 

 

* * *

“Goodnight,” Ilse whispered, giving Maddy a last kiss before placing the book back on its shelf.

Daniel softly padded over to the door and walked out, waiting for her to join him. “Did you know the sound of your voice changes a bit when you speak Dutch?” he asked, when she closed the door behind her.

“I assumed as much,” she smiled at him, walking over to the room where her own children were asleep. “I hear it with other people all the time… did you enjoy the story?”

He chuckled softly, not wanting to wake the kids in case some had already fallen asleep. “I have to admit that I wasn’t able to fully understand it, although I could translate a lot of the words but the pronunciation was a bit challenging. But of course I already know the story of Rapunzel so that made it a little easier.”

“I thought so,” she replied, stopping in front of the door. Opening it, she peeked inside making sure both kids were asleep. Satisfied that the pillows they’d placed in Sebastian’s bed to prevent him from falling were still in place, she soundlessly closed the door and they walked downstairs in silence.

“Ah, there they are,” Jack exclaimed when he walked into the living room with a tray of drinks. “I was wondering what kept you guys so long.”

Ilse shrugged as she walked over to the couch and sat down. “Daniel and I placed some pillows and rolled up a blanket to prevent Sebastian from falling out of bed, even though he slept fine this afternoon that was only two-and-a-half hours.”

“Pillows?” Jack frowned, placing the drinks on the coffee table before sitting down in a chair. “Oh! Of course, I hadn’t realized it was a regular bed. You should've told me, I could’ve gotten you one of the twins’ old cribs.”

She made a dismissive gesture with her hands and shrugged. “It’s okay, Matt and I were already thinking about letting him go to a regular bed in a couple of weeks.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, besides, I can’t go dragging him out of bed now and put together a crib in the room while Simone is asleep.”

“Good point,” Jack admitted sheepishly.

Looking around the room, Ilse searched for her future sister-in-law. “Where is Sam?”

“Oh, she almost fell asleep after braiding Milou's hair so I told her to get some sleep, too.”

Worried, Daniel sat up. “Is she all right?”

“Yeah,” Jack grimaced, “just a bit tired. She wasn’t feeling too hot today, probably with all the excitement and all the people – not that she doesn’t want you guys here,” he hastened himself to say. “Anyway, I was just telling the guys-”

“Hey!” Cassie objected, leaning over the side of the couch to playfully punch his shoulder.

“-and Cassie,” he smirked, “that maybe Daniel could help you out with that artifact you showed me at your apartment with Christmas.”

“Artifact?” Daniel almost jumped up, looking eagerly from Jack to Ilse.

“Oh yes,” Ilse nodded, “one of my old clients has inherited some stuff from his father and there was an interesting piece in it. Had a gold theme going, you know.”

Frowning, he pushed up glasses until he recognized the look she was giving him. “Oh! Of course, I’d love to.” He’d forgotten for a moment that Matt didn’t have clearance and thus they couldn’t say aloud that it was probably a Goa'uld item. “When?”

“Eager much?” She teased, smiling. “I sent an email the moment I saw it, but due to the holidays he won’t contact me for at least another week. I was early though and he’s done a lot of business with us in the past so I’m pretty confident he’ll contact me soon for an appraisal and such. He had some other items that weren’t catalogued yet, so there could be more hidden goodies.”

“Was it anything you recognized?”

“Same old, same old,” Jack shrugged, recalling the picture he’d seen.

Ilse rolled her eyes at him and turned to Daniel, patting his knee in excitement. “Actually, the inscription looked slightly different but the photographs weren’t very clear so I can’t be sure. But it looked to be very interesting and I’m sure you can tell me a lot about it.”

“Sure, count me in,” Daniel grinned.

* * *

 

“No, go on, you gals have fun,” Matt smirked, giving Ilse a last kiss before closing the door behind them. “Okay,” he turned back to the men in the living room, “looks like it’s up to us now.”

Jack glanced at the clock, noting it was still forty-five minutes to midnight. “Might as well wake up the kids, put them on some socks and a sweater and wait for the ladies to return.”

“I really don’t understand why Sam wanted to go see this carbide shooting,” Daniel complained again. She had only woken up about an hour ago and said she was feeling fine, although he was pretty sure she wasn’t one-hundred percent, but she’d insisted on Ilse taking her to the pastures to look at the carbide shooting and Cassie had decided to join them.

“She’s a geek, Daniel,” Jack replied in an exasperated tone, “she lives for such things, _especially_ if they blow up. As a matter of fact, I’m surprised you didn’t jump on the chance to see this tradition or examine the carbide.”

“Why would I want to do that?”

“I was told it’s a solid, crystalline form at room temperature… kind of like a rock,” Jack smirked.

Daniel rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh as he stood. “Ha ha, very funny.”

“Indeed O'Neill,” Teal'c spoke up, smirking slightly, “it was very humorous.”

Narrowing his eyes at the Jaffa Jack wondered if that was sarcasm or not. Teal'c, however, just stared back with a blank face.  “Whatever,” he muttered under his breath, turning to Matt. “Shall we wake the children?”

Matt nodded as he walked towards the stairs. “Simone can stay in bed for now, Ilse just fed her before she left and it won’t be a few more hours until she needs to feed her again, probably just before she goes to bed herself. Unlike Sebastian, Simone usually sleeps like a rock unless she gets hungry. I’ll just wake up Sebastian, throw him on some clothes and meet you guys downstairs.”

“I will procure Nathan O'Neill after dressing him appropriately,” Teal'c intoned.

“Okay,” Jack shrugged, glad his friend offered to help. “Space Monkey you get Madison, while I get Milou.”

“Ah,” Daniel stammered a bit, “what does she need to wear?”

“Just put some socks on her feet, I’ll get her and Milou one of my old flannels to wear.”

“Wow,” he gasped, “you have flannels, Jack?”

“Shut up, Daniel.”

* * *

 

Knocking on the window, Sam tried to draw guys’ attention without ringing the bell, afraid that some of the kids might still be asleep. “I don’t think they heard me,” she complained.

“Men,” Ilse muttered, stepping forward to knock a little harder on the window.

“Wow, careful,” Sam warned her.

Smirking, Ilse did it again. “Insulated glazing,” she explained. “Ah, look a reaction.”

The words had barely left her mouth or Jack pulled open the front door. “Forgot your key, ladies?”

“I didn’t think you’d lock the door,” Sam muttered.

“It’s not,” he stepped aside to let them in, “it just doesn’t open without the key, because the doorknob won’t move.”

“Oh,” she smiled sheepishly. “Forgot about that.”

“Don’t look at me,” Ilse said, holding up her hands. “I wasn’t really thinking when we left.”

“I had wine,” Cassie argued, shrugging as she proceeded down the living room. “Oh, look at the time!”

“Yep, you guys got here just in time,” Daniel spoke up from the couch. “Only seven minutes left.”

Pouring champagne in the five glasses on the table, Teal'c looked up. “Did you enjoy yourself, Colonel Carter?”

“Yeah, it was great! One of the guys let me use his carbide, water and can and the lid flew at least forty meters,” Sam exclaimed.

“Lots of noise, huh?” Matt asked, pointing at his ears.

“Yeah,” Jack chuckled, “you three are yelling a bit.”

“Sorry,” they said in unison.

Unzipping her coat, Ilse sat down on the couch next to Sebastian – who was still looking a bit sleepy – and drank the last of the soda she’d left behind. “It only took Sam three times to get the right amount of carbide and water and the timing was excellent.”

“She set a new record, really impressed those boys,” Cassie agreed, nodding her head.

“It wasn’t that hard,” Sam protested, wrapping her arms around Jack's waist. “I just calculated the contents of the can and I already knew the speed with which the acetylene would be formed and I know the ratio needed between carbide and water, so it was just a simple calculation.”

“Of course it was,” he smirked, pressing a kiss on her forehead.

“O'Neill, there is one glass missing,” Teal'c spoke up. “I have supplied the children with the children’s champagne and have filled five glasses with the contents of this bottle,” he held up the bottle of champagne.

“Don’t you mean two glasses?” Matt inquired, counting all the adults present.

Raising an eyebrow, Teal'c turned to him. “Indeed, I do not. I do not consume alcoholic beverages.”

“Oh, I’m not having any alcohol either,” Sam explained. “I’m still feeling a bit queasy and tired, you know.”

Jack quickly padded over to the kitchen and pulled out two more glasses. Reaching for the bottle of children’s champagne, he filled them up and handed the glasses to Sam and Teal'c. “There you go.”

“Right on time,” Ilse said, glancing at the television. “They’re already counting down.”

“Daddy, what about the fireworks?” Milou inquired, slightly panicked.

“Don’t worry, munchkin,” he patted her hair, careful not to ruffle her braids. “I placed them near the door already.”

She nodded slowly and returned her gaze back to the television.

Everyone waited in silence as the last minute slowly ticked away on the screen, until Ilse's phone started ringing.

“Sorry, I guess some people are already texting me in case they won’t get through in a few minutes,” she said sheepishly, turning off the sound and placing her cell on the coffee table, exchanging it for the glass of champagne.

“Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one,” the four children started counting down with the woman on TV.

“Happy New Year!” Everyone exclaimed, holding up their glass in a toast.

Thinking on his feet, Daniel cleared his throat. “That we may all look forward to years filled with good health, luck, love and compassion.”

“Hear, hear.”

“Indeed.”

Everyone took a sip of their drink, before they started congratulating the others. The men exchanged hands and a slap on the shoulder with each other, while the women and children were giving everyone a peck on the cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to ‘A Karswyll’ for supplying me with a social activity for Jaffa children to improve their warrior skills; gem means ‘find’ and aam ‘animal’ and ‘beast’.


	16. Start of the New Year

“It’s so beautiful,” Ilse said loudly, pretty sure she was almost screaming but knew she could hardly be heard over the noise of all the fireworks around them as Daniel leaned his head towards her so he could hear what she said. Rolling her eyes, she repeated it as she pointed up towards the sky, which was being illuminated by the skyrockets Jack and Matt had both bought.

Daniel grinned, nodding at her answer. Glad that he’d apparently interpreted her words correctly the first time, but the noise was almost worse than shooting at a battalion of Jaffa on some planet. He wasn’t really into fireworks or explosions for that matter, not that someone would’ve guessed with the work he’d been doing the last decade, but he really liked the expression of joy on Ilse's face. Glancing around, he noticed the children were just as enthralled by everything as they were dressed in snow boots, big sweaters or flannels – depending on the child – mittens, a cap and a scarf with their PJs underneath. Jack's kids – and Sam's soon too – were grinning widely while holding sparklers after already going through all their bang snaps. Sebastian, though, was in Matt’s arms, his head leaning on his father’s shoulder while looking at the sky, pointing every now and then.

Jack and Teal'c were a bit further down the road, setting up more skyrockets to be lighted. Cassie and Sam were on Ilse's other side, talking and pointing at the sky too. Some of Jack's neighbors had even more elaborate – and probably more expensive – fireworks and all that combined gave a pretty lightshow.

“I guess you weren’t kidding when you said you could watch this for hours,” Daniel replied, gesturing towards the sky as he noted that the others – with the exception of Jack and Teal'c – looked about ready to go back inside.

Ilse shook her head, still smiling broadly, before glancing back at the sky. She had already finished her glass of champagne and had wrapped both arms around her waist, but it wasn’t helping much as she’d forgotten to button up when they went outside after midnight. Always careful to make sure Sebastian – and Simone, who was still sound asleep upstairs – was properly dressed, she often forgot her own coat and by the time she had started to feel cold it was already too late. Now, she was wishing for another glass of alcohol to warm her up, but reluctantly pushed the idea away because she preferred not to drink while breastfeeding and one glass was more than enough.  “No, why?”

Daniel smirked and simply gestured at his watch. He chuckled softly when her eyes widened as she realized it had been almost two hours since they’d gone outside. “You want to go back inside?”

“Give me a minute,” she replied, before walking over to Matt. “Ma-”

“Ssh,” he hushed her, his free hand against her lips as he jerked his head towards a slumbering Sebastian. “I’ll just take him to bed,” he whispered loudly in her ear, before giving her a quick kiss and bending down so she could give their son a kiss.

Ilse watched the two of them disappear inside, before stepping over to Jack. She asked him if he was planning on going over to the neighbors to wish them a happy new year, but he said he would skip it tonight with all the visitors and the firework still going strong. “What about the kids?”

Jack looked over her shoulder and beckoned his kids over, offering all three of them a safety fuse to use on a skyrocket before ushering them all back a few feet to where Teal'c was standing. “Okay, time for bed, munchkins!”

“Just let us watch those, Daddy,” Milou pleaded, gesturing towards the last of the fireworks he and Uncle Matt had bought.

He nodded and walked them back to Daniel, Ilse, Sam and Cassie, while Matt came back outside patting his shoulder as he made his way over to Teal'c. “Fine, but if I catch one yawn, you’re off to bed,” Jack warned them as his brother-in-law and Teal'c were busying themselves with the rest of the fireworks.

“I’m going to bed soon too,” Cassie confessed to the others, unsure if anyone other than Sam and maybe Ilse could understand her with all the racket going on. “Do you want to finish this?”

Sam immediately shook her head when the young woman offered her half-empty glass of champagne. “No thanks,” she rubbed one hand over her stomach.

“Oh, still not feeling too hot?”

Realizing what she was doing, Sam took the out and nodded slowly, silently berating herself for her slip. If only she could just come out and tell everyone she was pregnant and would marry Jack in secret soon, but she couldn’t – not while he was still technically her commanding officer. She forced herself to stuff her hands in her pockets, until Maddy was tugging on her coat, wanting to be picked up. “There you go,” she mumbled in the girl’s ear as she leaned down, grabbed a hold of her and straightened up again.

Daniel eagerly accepted Cassie’s glass and quickly downed the last of the champagne, before setting it on a dresser in the entry hall of the house. When he came back, he smiled as Cassie was holding Milou, Jack was standing behind Sam – who was still holding Maddy – with his arms wrapped around her waist and Nathan was comfortable in Ilse's arms. “Quite the family portrait,” he mumbled, to no one in particular. Too bad he didn’t have his camera with him, though.

“Daniel Jackson, are you enjoying this display of explosive pyrotechnic devices?” Teal'c’s voice boomed as he neared the position of his friends.

“I guess,” he shrugged. “I’m getting cold now, though. What about you?”

“I am enjoying myself immensely,” he replied, inclining his head as he smirked. “O'Neill has informed me that one of his neighbors most likely will set off thousands of small explosives within the hour.”

If Daniel didn’t know any better, he’d say Teal'c was eager to experience that too. He found it quite strange, though, considering Teal'c's ‘line of work’ that he would be interested in hearing even more explosives, especially if those were to celebrate something positive. For him it only reminded him of the useless bloodshed, be it on this planet or another, in the name of war, religion or just a thirst for power. Sometimes those three were even combined into one. “Then I’ll probably go inside,” he mumbled, glancing at the others. He smiled again when he saw that Ilse was apparently teaching Nathan about the different kinds of fireworks, their names or their special effects as he heard words like ‘kamuro’, ‘spider’ and ‘time rain’. And he was pretty sure that Sam and Jack would be making out right about now if Maddy hadn’t been in the way. Even Cassie looked somewhat uncomfortable, he mused. “I’m going back inside, everyone,” he almost yelled.

Ilse nodded, took Maddy on her free hip from Sam and brought the twins with her inside, hearing Cassie behind her. “Me too, have to get the kids to bed so that our soldiers can enjoy the show – or each other – a bit more,” she replied, grinning wickedly at Daniel.

* * *

 

Daniel yawned and looked around the room, trying to determine where he was. _Right!_ At Jack's and it was now… he glanced at the clock, almost seven in the morning on January the first of 2009. And he had to pee. Throwing back the covers, he stumbled out of bed, cursing himself for drinking so much champagne in combination with the few beers earlier in the evening and the glass of wine during dinner. He absentmindedly grabbed the glasses he’d left on the nightstand before crossing the room.

He yawned loudly again as he cautiously opened the door, not wanting to wake anyone up as most of them had only gotten to bed less than four hours ago and they were no spring chickens anymore. Trying to tiptoe around almost had him flat on his butt, so he decided softly padding over to the bathroom would be okay too.

“Whoa!” Daniel exclaimed, a bit too loud for his own taste as one of the doors opened and he collided against someone.

Automatically grabbing his waist to prevent herself from toppling over, Ilse mumbled an apology. “Sorry, I didn’t think anyone would be up just yet.”

“That’s okay,” he replied in the same tone of voice as he awkwardly let go of her bare upper arms. On instinct, he’d grabbed her to keep her on her feet but now he noticed their awkward position he quickly let go and took a step back. He winced when she let go of his sides, only then realizing her nails had dug in his flesh. “Neither did I. Besides, I didn’t think Simone or Sebastian would be opening doors already,” he added, pointing at the door.

“Had to feed the baby,” she explained, gesturing with her hands. Frowning, Ilse stilled them and gave him a small smile, slightly embarrassed. She wasn’t sure why, because it was a very natural thing to do. Then again, she was also standing here in nothing but one of Matt’s button-up shirts that only just reached her thighs and Daniel wasn’t wearing much either.

Daniel shifted on his feet as he wrapped his arms around himself to protect his modesty, wondering why he hadn’t taken the time to at least grab a shirt instead of walking out in nothing but his boxers. “Bathroom,” he motioned to the door further away.

“Of course,” Ilse mumbled, “don’t let me keep you.”

“Right,” he nodded, stepping to his left to walk past her while she did the same – only for her it was right – and he grinned sheepishly as he went to the other side at the same time she did. “Just let me…” he muttered, grabbing her arms again, turning them both in a half circle until they were on opposite sides.

“Sorry, still half asleep,” she almost giggled at her inattention.

“Yeah, me too,” he grinned again. “So, I should get going,” he pointed over his shoulder awkwardly.

She bobbed her head in understanding. “Right, of course.”

“Daniel Jackson, Ilse Lindeman, is something the matter?” Teal'c intoned.

Startled, they both jumped up as if they’d been doing something illegal at the sound of the deep voice coming from the doorway of one of the other guest rooms.

“Bathroom,” Daniel said again, quickly turning on his heels to make his way over.

Ilse beamed at him. “G’morning, Teal'c.”

He inclined his head respectfully, before stepping into the corridor. “Was your night satisfactory?”

“Wha-ah, yeah,” she stammered, her eyes wide. She briefly wondered if he was actually referring to her sleep or _all_ of her activities throughout the night and self-consciously pulled on the hem of the shirt when his face remained impassive. “Did you sleep well?”

“Indeed, I did. My body has been restored again after sleeping on a most comfortable bed.”

She smiled, nodding. “Good, good. I should get dressed,” she rubbed her eyes tiredly, “before the kids get up.”

Raising an eyebrow, Teal'c glanced at her tired features. “Do not concern yourself with the welfare of the children as I will be taking care of them until you have all rested enough.”

“Oh no, you don’t have to do that!”

“I must insist,” he replied, inclining his head.

* * *

 

“Is something troubling you, Milou O'Neill?” Teal'c asked with his eyebrow raised, as he looked at the young female. Her sideways glances at him had not gone unnoticed.

Biting her lip, she slipped off the couch and slowly padded over to where he was sitting on the recliner. “Maybe,” she said shyly, wringing her hands behind her back as she rocked slightly on her feet.

He reached out to clasp her shoulder and squeezed it as gently as he could. “Do you wish to discuss this matter?” He asked, nonplussed at the uncharacteristic behavior of the child. The eldest of O'Neill’s children often showed curiosity and sociable behavior; uncertainty she did not.

Milou let her eyes dart around the room and, seeing as no one else was around, wrapped her small hand around his wrist as best as she could. Taking a step closer, she bumped against his knees. “I’m not sure,” she confessed, looking up at him from underneath her lashes.

“For what purpose are you undecided?” Teal'c inquired and effortlessly lifted her onto his lap. The mischievous grin that was adorning her dainty face combined with the furtiveness in her dark eyes made him tilt the corners of his mouth slightly.

Wiggling until she was comfortable on his leg, Milou looked up. Her gaze was momentarily captured by the shiny gold on his forehead and she cautiously and slowly reached out to touch it. “It’s so pretty,” she awed when he inclined his head so she could touch it.

Teal'c observed the reverence on her face as he faintly felt the pressure of her small fingertips tracing the symbol of his former – false – God. “I do not find it attractive,” he replied solemnly.

“Why?” She asked as she let her hand fall and cocked her head to the side.

Blinking, he regarded her facial expression. “For the reason of what it conveys.”

“I like it,” Milou replied, nodding her head slowly. Once again reaching up, she tried wrapping her fingers around it. “Can’t you take it off?”

“Indeed, I cannot.”

Her shoulders sagged as she dropped her hand again. “Too bad,” she sighed. “If you don’t like it, why do you have it?”

Teal'c tilted his head at her confusion. “I received it many years ago when I was a young man. At the time it was considered a great honor to be bestowed upon you.”

“Why?”

“It meant that your God thought highly of you,” he explained patiently.

“Oh,” she said slowly, frowning. Some of her friends talked about God at school, they also went to church in the weekend to talk and respect him. She had heard Daddy sometimes exclaim ‘God’ or ‘Jesus’ but wasn’t sure if he meant the same persons her friends did because he never went to church. “How do you know that?” Her teacher had tried to explain God once to them and Miss Julia had said he was also invisible. She didn’t understand how you could talk to an invisible person or how Teal'c knew that.

Teal'c raised his brow again and the corners of his mouth drooped slightly. “Because that was what the Goa'uld claimed.”

“But you still don’t like it?”

Noticing her puzzled expression he elaborated. “They lied.”

“Oh,” she gasped, clasping her hand for her mouth. “Lying is bad!”

“Indeed it is,” Teal'c confirmed. “The Goa'uld were not gods and they used me and my people as slaves.”

Scrunching up her nose, Milou looked at him. “Daddy says you have to treat others with respect,” she said hesitantly, trying to recall his exact words. “You can’t use them.”

“Indeed you cannot,” he replied, patting her blond head. “Now, the Goa'uld are no more and my people and I are free.”

“How come?”

Teal'c grinned and his eyes twinkled as he looked at the daughter of his brother-in-arms. “When I met O'Neill, then-Captain Carter and Daniel Jackson I knew they had tasted freedom and served no false God. When my God wanted me to,” he paused briefly, glancing at her expectant face, “dispose of them, I instead defied him and allied myself with your family.”

“Is that why you’re here and not there?” She asked, pointing with her finger at the ceiling.

“Indeed, we worked side by side for many years and collaborated with many species to rid the galaxy of the Goa'uld.”

“Did it work?”

He smiled, very pleased. “Indeed it did. We defeated the false Gods and that is why my people and I are now free.”

Reaching up, Milou touched the gold. “And this reminds you?”

“Indeed,” he replied mournfully. “It has become part of who I am.”

“But they’re gone,” she said softly, smiling at him. “You’re still here… it should make you happy.”

Contemplating the child’s words, Teal'c grinned slightly as he inclined his head. “Indeed, you are correct, Milou O'Neill.”

“I know,” she beamed at him, giggling.

“However,” he raised a brow at her as he repositioned her on his leg, “this was not the matter that was bothering you.”

Milou ducked her head shyly, before risking a glance at him. “Indeed.”

“For what reason were you undecided whether to share the matter with me?” Teal'c inquired, holding her gaze.

She squirmed a bit on his lap and leaned forward. “I think it’s a secret,” she whispered conspiratorially.

“Does it involve you, Milou O'Neill?”

“I guess,” she shrugged as she scrunched up her nose.

His interest piqued by her response he gave her a reassuring smile. “Who are the other participants?”

“Dunno,” Milou replied a bit unsure.

“Your parents or siblings perhaps?”

She nodded slowly as she stared at his chest. “Yeah.”

“You must share this information with me, Milou O'Neill,” Teal'c urged her. Seeing her startled response, he patted her shoulder. “Otherwise I cannot help you with this matter and you must come to terms with it in a discreet manner.”

* * *

 

“Jack?”

Hearing Sam’s voice, still hoarse from sleep reminded him of last night after they’d retreated to the master bedroom. “Good morning, sunshine.”

“Ugh,” she complained, throwing an arm over her eyes. “Why are you out of bed already?”

“The kids,” he groaned in reply, not looking forward to the long day.

Sam sat up, still squinting at the light. “I don’t hear anything yet, just come back to bed, please? Besides, they must be just as tired.”

“Nope,” he shook his head in regret, walking over to the door, knowing he’d thrown his jeans over the chair nearby. “Huh.”

“What is it?” She asked when he leaned down to reach something lying on the floor, not even trying to cover her naked body with the sheets as she admired his muscled back.

Holding it up, he showed her the piece of paper. “Ilse must have shoved it underneath the door,” he explained. “Says to stay in bed and _enjoy_ ,” he emphasized the underlined word, “because apparently Teal'c is taking care of the kids for us this morning.”

“Wow,” she smirked slowly. “He’s such a good friend.”

“Yeah,” Jack smiled wolfishly at her. “Maybe I should leave him my DVD set of _The Simpsons_ ,” he mumbled, before prowling back to the bed, jeans forgotten.

Sam giggled as she watched him, feeling some sort of pride when his eyes flashed at her still throaty voice and he jumped on the bed with her. “Hmm,” she moaned as his lips found hers in a rough kiss, before he pushed her down on the mattress again and covered her body with his. “I take it this,” she smirked as she moved her hips against his, “means you’re ready to _enjoy_ this already?”

“Yeah, sure you betcha!”

* * *

 

Pricking up her ears, Milou listened carefully to make sure no one was coming downstairs yet. Normally she could tell if Daddy, Maddy or Nate were nearby already, even Mommy now because of the baby but she had to use her ears for the rest of the family. She gnawed her lip as she glanced up at Teal'c. Mommy and Daddy hadn’t told them yet, because it was a secret and she wasn’t sure if she was supposed to say anything. Uncle Matt didn’t believe them when they told him maybe Teal'c wouldn’t either? But he had said she should ask him, right? He’d never lied to her before and she knew Daddy trusted him too. “Okay.”

Satisfied, Teal'c inclined his head as the brown-eyed youngster looked at him conspiratorially. “In which way may I be of service?”

“Could you explain something to me?” She asked in a quiet voice.

“I will endeavor to do so.”

Milou let out a soft sigh and leaned back against his broad chest. “Teal'c?”

“Speak your mind,” he encouraged O'Neill’s child.

“Where do babies come from?” She asked him, throwing her head back to look at his face from her position on his lap.

“I am unsure, Milou O'Neill,” Teal'c replied, nonplussed.

Confused, she scrunched up her nose. “But Daddy and Nate said you have a son.”

“Indeed, I do.”

“Then how come you don’t know?”

Cocking his head, he glanced down at the curious youngster. “I have heard of various ways that result in procuring an offspring.”

“Like what?”

“Since allying myself with the Tau'ri, I have learned of various ways, some most peculiar,” Teal'c intoned seriously. “One of these conducts involves a large wading bird with long legs, a long stout pointed bill and white and black plumage which will deliver an infant to a betrothed couple.”

Milou frowned. “A bird?”

“Indeed,” he inclined his head. “However, this method seems highly dangerous as the child is merely wrapped in a blanket of which only two corners are being held in the animal’s beak.”

“Won’t the baby be cold in a blanket?”

Teal'c raised his brow and regarded the young female again. “I would assume so. As I understand, the blanket will be colored to indicate the infant’s gender. The yard of the bonded couple will be decorated in order to draw the bird’s attention to ensure he will deliver the child at a wanted home.”

“So,” Milou peered at him, deep in thought. “If people want a baby they have to get the bird’s attention?”

“I am unaware if a selective procedure before the animal’s arrival is needed or if having a landing platform suffices in order to procure a child by these means.”

Rubbing her nose, Milou thought about this for a minute. “Is that what you did when you wanted a baby?”

“Indeed I did not,” he shook his head minimally. “The house I was given by the false God Apophis for many years of service did not have a yard.”

“Oh,” she nodded, “Auntie Ilse didn’t have a backyard either.”

Slightly confused, Teal'c raised his eyebrow higher and cocked his head.

“And she had a baby,” Milou explained. “But it was in her tummy,” she patted her own. “And she and Uncle Matt weren’t married yet… is that why? Does the bird only come to married people?”

 “I am unsure,” he replied. “This method of reproduction was not heard of on Chulak.”

“Then where did your son come from?” She asked, genuinely interested. “Why is he not here with you?”

“Rya'c is a young man already,” Teal'c told her.

“Like Cassie?”

He inclined his head briefly, before glancing at the canine O'Neill had given the young woman many years ago. “Indeed. He married several years ago and now lives with his wife, Kar'yn.”

“Do they have babies?”

“Indeed, they do not,” Teal'c grinned slightly at the thought of the young female warrior resting her duties on Hak'tyl to rear children. He was certain it would be at least several more years before he would get to meet a grandchild.

Milou tugged on his sweater. “Because they don’t have a yard, either? Or no birds?”

“Indeed, there is no such bird anywhere but on this planet,” he elaborated. “However, the most common way is for a couple to mate, during which the male will impregnate the female.”

“How?”

Nonplussed, Teal'c patted her blond head. “I am most certain O'Neill will inform you of this particular method when the time is right.”

“Oh, okay,” she replied, somewhat disappointed. “Then you will get a baby?”

“Indeed, this will result in a female carrying the child within her.”

Milou patted her tummy. “Here?”

“Indeed, only females are capable of carrying a child but they will need a male to be impregnated.”

“How does the baby get in there?”

Lifting her to his other leg, Teal'c shifted in the chair. “The mating will result in a miniature infant and this will grow inside the female, making her abdomen grow larger as well.”

“I know,” she bobbed her head enthusiastically, “Auntie Ilse got this,” she gestured with her hands, “big! But Daddy and Uncle Matt both said we weren’t supposed to say she was big or large….”

“Indeed, I have learned from Oprah that pregnant Tau'ri female are not always pleased with the size of their protruding stomachs,” he confirmed, still slightly puzzled over the peculiar behavior as a pregnancy had always been seen as a blessing on Chulak.

“But how does the baby come out?”

Teal'c raised his brow and shook his head minutely. “I am unsure as the males on Chulak were not allowed to be present during birth,” he chose to use as an explanation. “I have learned, however, that the Tau'ri either surgically remove the infant or let nature run its course.”

“Oh,” Milou replied mystified. “Is that how you got your son?”

“Indeed,” he nodded once, “Drey'auc, Rya'c’s mother, blessed me with a son many years ago.”

“So,” she drawled out, “it’s either the bird or mating?”

“Mating seems the preferred method to maintain the species throughout the galaxy. On this particular planet, it is also possible for a woman alone to go seek professional help if she is without a life partner. Doctors will then impregnate her with a male who has already donated his genetic material. This material can be from a random individual they do not know or someone familiar who is capable and willing to aid them.”

“How?”

Teal'c tilted his head pensively. “I am unsure of the details as I was only able to watch the preview of Oprah’s broadcast on this particular subject.”

“Is that what Auntie Ilse did? She married Uncle Matt after she was already… big,” she whispered the last word, her eyes darting around to make sure that no one was coming down the stairs at that moment.

“I do not know,” he replied, then grinned slightly. “You must consult Ilse Lindeman if you wish to learn the answer.”

Milou nodded thoughtfully. “Oh, okay. Are there more ways for having a baby?”

“I have also heard of a method in which a female will lay eggs, like birds and some of your reptilian or sea creatures do. Those eggs will be either impregnated before they are laid or afterwards.”

“Like chickens?” She asked, frowning slightly.

“Indeed, if the eggs of a domestic fowl are not impregnated you can eat them, otherwise it will be incubated until the youngster inside the egg is old enough to break the shell,” Teal'c explained patiently. “Some of the races I have met in my lifetime will use the genetic material of one or two individuals to create a clone or an offspring in a medical laboratory. However, I do not believe the Tau'ri are allowing humans to be cloned yet.”

“I see,” she replied, slightly in awe about all the new knowledge she had learned.

“There is another method to procure offspring who are not biologically yours,” Teal'c continued, smiling slightly. “It is possible for a couple or even a single parent to choose one as their own by a process called adoption. This means that they will adopt a child from another family who do not have the means to care for their child or children, or adopt what is called an orphan; a child whose parents have died prematurely.”

Milou squeezed his hand to get his attention. “Like Mommy adopting us because we don’t have mommy anymore?”

“Indeed, as was the case for Cassandra Fraiser when we met her. Does this answer your question, Milou O'Neill?”

“I think so, thank you Teal'c,” she smiled shyly at him.

He bowed his head in a customary gesture and lifted the young child from his lap to stand up himself. “You are most welcome. Would you care for breakfast?”

“Yes please,” she nodded her head, following him into the kitchen to help him set the table. Giggling, she pointed at the cabinets which held the plates and the rest of the breakfast stuff so they could ready it before the others came downstairs. “Do you want milk, Teal'c?”

“Indeed I do not,” he replied as he walked over to the table with his hands full of breakfast items. “I am lactose intolerant since losing my symbiote.”

Holding up a carton with both hands, Milou showed it to him. “Juice?”

“I would be most appreciative.”

She carried the carton of juice and milk to the table and placed it on its surface, while Teal'c had already gone back for the rest. Sitting down on a chair she reached for the bread. “Teal'c? Was Mommy impregnated?”

Slightly baffled, Teal'c halted his hand mid-air as he reached for the juice. “I do not know, neither she nor O'Neill has informed me of such an event.”

“Oh,” Milou sighed, sagging in her chair. “Uncle Matt said she wasn’t.”

“You have already inquired this matter with him?”

She nodded slowly, staring at her plate. “But we told him we can feel the baby.”

Raising an eyebrow, Teal'c glanced at the child as he poured the juice into his cup. “To whom and what are you referring?”

“Maddy and Nathan,” she explained, “we can feel the baby inside of Mommy’s tummy.”

“I see,” he replied solemnly. This was a most interesting development as he had no doubt the child was speaking the truth; he could not fathom her – or her siblings – fabricating such a story without knowing what a pregnancy was and how it came to be. “You must not tell anyone else of this matter yet, Milou O'Neill.”

“Why?”

“O'Neill and Colonel Carter will inform everyone when they are certain the timing is correct. A pregnancy is a sensitive matter among all the races I have encountered with few exceptions,” he elaborated. “Do you understand?”

“I think so,” Milou said slowly. “I won’t say anything.”

“Very well.”

 


	17. Arguing

“Sam?” Jack called out to her as he walked upstairs. He had dropped off the kids at school and had gone for groceries while Sam stayed in, getting ready for her meeting in Washington. They had called her a couple of days ago and luckily she could explain her presence with him – her superior officer who was most likely becoming her CO again after her reassignment – due to the holidays, as the old SG-1 usually spent those together when they could and Cassie had only left three days ago. After checking the master bedroom he walked to the other side of the house, already having an idea where she might be. “Sam,” he said again, peeking into Lily’s old room. “Sam?” She was sitting in the middle of the room, stuff surrounding her but her attention was on a laptop. “Carter!”

“Si-Jack,” she almost jumped, placing her hand on her heart trying to calm it. “You scared me,” Sam sighed, feeling like she’d been caught doing something illegal.

He smirked at her slip, leaning against the doorway. “What’cha doing?” He gestured around the room with his hand, raising his brows as she graciously rose from her sitting position.

“I was just, ah…” Sam stammered a bit, “Well, you said it was okay for me to try and find Lily’s blow dryer.” She wiped her hands on her jeans before looking at him again, spotting said object on the floor somewhere in between them – where she had put it when she found it a little while ago. “It was… oh God,” she almost gasped, her eyes darting around the room, “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to be snooping or anything-”

“Relax Sam,” Jack rolled his eyes and – cautiously stepping over the blow dryer – walked up to her. He brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face, before giving her a soft kiss. “I told you before you can look at anything you want,” he shrugged, once again looking at all the stuff scattered around them. “I have to say, though, I didn’t think you, Samantha Carter, could make such a mess!”

“I know,” she ducked her head, slightly embarrassed. It was true, he had told her she could do whatever she wanted around the house. After all, they were going to get married soon, if the brass wasn’t going to reassign her the moment she set foot in Washington. This wasn’t the first time Jack had said it was okay for her to look at his personal stuff, like photo albums and stuff that belonged to his late sister. Still, she felt slightly awkward as she had only asked about a blow dryer and he’d said he was sure there was one among Lily’s stuff. And, well, once she got started sifting through the boxes she had found all kinds of interesting things! Sam couldn’t really help herself and she’d gone from one box to another – the blow dryer long forgotten on the floor – and she’d looked at lots of pictures, even movies and just now she’d been watching videos from what looked like Lily’s recording studio. There certainly was no mistaking the relationships between the young woman, Ilse and Jack or the kids. “I’ll clean it up right away,” Sam offered, smiling sheepishly.

“Nah, take your time going through this stuff,” he replied, smirking. He figured she was curious about Lily and wanted to learn more about his little sister as he had never mentioned her in the time they had been working together, let alone introduce them! “I am sure you’ll alphabetize and color code everything when you’re done. Want me to take the blow dryer back to our bedroom?”

She nodded and sat back down hearing his footsteps fade, her hands already grabbing the laptop to un-pause the video. This side of Lily, the singer, wasn’t represented in the photo albums and it intrigued Sam because it reminded her of the antics of Milou and Maddy. Both girls took after her, apparently, although she also suspected Ilse had been somewhat of an influence on them because Sam could recognize the same laidback and playful attitude Jack's stepsister possessed. There had been a couple of videos with the two half-sisters in them but Sam had only watched one and it had already been clear to her that the two were very much alike and good friends as well. Ilse had even recorded a duet with her younger sister in that video and Sam had to admit that their voices were alike too.

In one of the videos Lily was trying to record a song, but things hadn’t been going her way and she’d done more giggling than actual singing – moments in which Sam remembered that she’d been even younger than Cassie when she died and yet she often looked more mature. That was also when the camera had been taken from its tripod and someone had started walking around the studio filming. It was dated about five years ago and Sam had even seen baby Milou with Lily and, who she suspected was Milou's biological father. It showed a lot of Lily’s interactions with others and it came as no surprise to Sam to once again see the resemblance between her outgoingness and Milou's. The girl definitely took after her mother.

Glancing at her watch, Sam realized she had been sitting here for much longer than she’d planned. Her hair had already dried by now, so she didn’t actually need the blow dryer anymore. Sighing, she got up and started to pack up all the stuff she had started unpacking about two hours ago. It surprised her how fast she got everything back into the boxes and it was only then that she noticed all the things _had_ been stored alphabetically. She frowned at the idea of Jack actually taking the time to do such a thing and shook her head. It must have been Ilse or her mother,she told herself.

Sam walked over to the window and opened it, determined to air the room now that all the dusty boxes had been opened and her nose had already started itching. There was even dust on her jeans, she noticed. Probably from wiping her hands on her pants like a five-year-old kid, she silently chastised herself. The brass wanted her in Washington at the end of the week, meaning she only had two more days to get going – thank the Asgard for their beaming technology – and she would still need to get her dress blues once she was beamed across the ocean.  That also meant that she had to start doing the laundry now, before she would forget some of her clothes.

She hadn’t packed a lot when she’d gone to Mark, thinking that she could pick up some more clothes before meeting up with Jack and the children. Unfortunately, her brother had been a real ass and she’d found herself stomping off in anger at his ignorant and stubborn behavior. Their father had been kind enough to use his teltac to give her a ride but that didn’t include stopping at home to get some extra clothing. So Cassie had offered her some of her skirts, jeans and shirts but she’d been mostly wearing Jack's shirts, sweaters and even some of his way-too-big sweatpants. Hadn’t Cassie told her that boyfriend shirts, jackets and jeans were fashionable? But Sam was pretty sure Anna Wintour wouldn’t be caught dead in _those_ sweatpants! __

“What are you laughing about?” Jack asked, again finding himself in the doorway. He’d been looking for her after his conference with the IOA via the secure videolink he had in his basement and he wasn’t very surprised to find her still here. Although he hadn’t expected her to have already packed everything back up. He knew most of the stuff that was just sitting here, as he’d been involved in the packing the first time around. He hadn’t expected her to be laughing to herself, either.

“Jack,” she looked up from her thoughts and smiled at him brightly. “Working?” She asked, letting her eyes roam over his dress blues, which made him look so darn sexy.

“Conference call with the IOA,” he replied, rolling his eyes. “I thought about just wearing the jacket, but figured I might have to move around….” He shrugged, smirking.

“I would’ve loved to see their faces,” Sam chuckled, picturing her sexy fiancé in his boxers and dress blue jacket while conferring with the IOA.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his body. “Just their faces?”

“I can see you half naked any time,” she replied saucily. “I don’t get the chance to see Woolsey’s outraged and yet embarrassed face often enough.”

Jack snorted at the mental image, knowing she was still upset about the way Woolsey had released her of command. “But that’s not what you were laughing about when I got here.”

“Oh that,” she mumbled, snuggling up to his chest. “I was just thinking I should do the laundry.”

Raising an inquiring eyebrow, he pulled back to make sure he was still holding _his_ Carter and not some duplicate. “Laundry? You laugh over doing your laundry?” They had been together for almost two months now and most of that time they’d been living together but he couldn’t remember her being excited about doing the laundry once.

“No,” she giggled, shaking her head as she looked into his puzzled face. “I figured I should get started on it to make sure I don’t forget anything before I leave for DC. That I shouldn’t forget my jeans-”

“These?” Jack asked, his hands sliding down her back to cup her six, squeezing slightly as he pulled her flush against him again.

“Yes,” Sam murmured, nuzzling his neck. “Then I figured I should raid your closet again to find something to wear while my clothes are in the laundry. And then I remembered something Cassie told me, about girls wearing their guy’s jeans and shirts, because apparently it’s fashionable.”

He chuckled, the sound rumbling low in his chest as he kissed her temple, his nose rubbing against her soft hair. “It’s hot when you wear my clothes. They look much better on you, especially my shirts….”

“Just the shirts?” She asked, grinning against his skin, enjoying the way his chuckle vibrated through her.

“If only.”

Giggling, Sam buried her face in his chest. “I don’t think that sets an example for the kids-”

“It does, just not a very good one,” he admitted still smirking. “That’s why you were laughing? You think my clothes are hilarious?” He asked in mock hurt.

“No,” she giggled, throwing her head back to look at him. “I thought that your sweatpants were definitely not fashionable and that Anna Wintour wouldn’t want to be found dead in them.”

Narrowing his eyes at her, Jack leaned back slightly. “What’s wrong with my sweatpants? And I don’t know who this Winter-person is but I don’t even _want_ her to wear them,” he stated petulantly.

“Anna Wintour,” she corrected him, sighing. “She’s the editor of _Vogue_ and she’s a big name in the fashion world.”

Jack almost did a double take at that. “Okay,” he said suspiciously, taking a step back. “Who are you and what did you do to my Carter?”

It was Sam's turn to raise her brows. “ _Your_ Carter?”

“Yes,” he said slowly, feeling himself flush a bit at that. He’d never been the jealous or possessive type, but she brought out the caveman in him at times and he’d be damned if he let someone else run off with her now that he finally had her. So yes, she was his Carter. “See, _my_ Carter would know that.”

“ _This_ Carter was unaware that she belonged to any man,” Sam replied.

Jack reached out and pulled her tags from underneath her collar before she could swat his hand away. “See, mine.”

Keeping one brow raised, she looked down at the tags dangling from her neck. The accompanying engagement ring sparkled in the sunlight coming through the window and shifting her eyes towards Jack, she could see he was looking at it. “So, because I’m wearing your engagement ring that gives you some sort of ownership over me?” Sam asked, one hand on her hip as she held his gaze. He looked utterly adorable with his flushed cheeks, especially in contrast with his dress blues. He didn’t look anything like a big badass general in the United States Air Force – let alone the director of Homeworld Security – now and she could almost feel her heart melt.

She was just teasing him now and had to admit – at least to herself – that she found it a bit charming that he apparently was possessive towards her. He certainly hadn’t shown anything like that in the years they had worked together. She usually didn’t like jealous or possessive boyfriends, but she’d been waiting a long time for Jack O'Neill to make his move. Besides, he already owned her heart.

“Well, yeah,” he mumbled, dragging a hand through his hair. “Well, no… I’m sorry,” he grimaced. “Of course I don’t own you, it’s just that… Well, I-”

“It’s okay, Jack,” she grinned, fingering the ring as she looked up at him through her lashes. “I love you too.”

Relieved, he let out a sigh. Okay, he hadn’t screwed up, that was a good thing. “So,” he drawled, smiling sheepishly, “you’re my Carter?”

Sam shook her head as she bit her lip, unable to disappoint him when he was sounding so eager and hopeful. “Jack…”

“You’re having my baby,” he murmured, placing his outstretched hand on her stomach. “So, at least for now you’re mine.”

“I’ll always be yours,” she admitted, blushing slightly as she covered his hand with hers. “And just so you know,” she smirked at him, waiting until he looked at her face, “you’re mine, too.”

“Yeah sure you betcha,” Jack gave her his lopsided grin, his eyes twinkling. “So, if you’re still _my_ Carter then what the hell were you talking about?” He narrowed his eyes at her, giving her an inquiring look. “Fashionable, Winter, Vogue, fashion world?”

Sam rolled her eyes, ducking her head shyly. “Okay, I admit it; Cassie sent me magazines when I was in Atlantis and I may have read one… or two.”

Surprised, he shook his head. Even after working with her side by side for over seven years, then having her as 2IC to his base for a year and their regular talks that started again two years ago… yet, he still didn’t know this woman. God, he could spend a lifetime with her and she could probably still surprise him! He knew that was what he wanted, he wanted her for the rest of his life by his side as his lover not just a friend or 2IC. He wasn’t going to let her go and, his eye catching her ring again, he made a decision. “Sam… I’m not sure what the brass wants with you in Washington, but-”

She closed her eyes, her elation from moments earlier fading already at that prospect. “My reassignment,” she sighed, interrupting him. “It has almost been two months since Woolsey relieved me of command and I know the President and the JCS offered me a whole folder of different assignments and told me to take my time to choose my next assignment, but I guess they’re getting anxious.”

“Well, you are known for being a workaholic,” he offered, shrugging casually as he looked down at their linked hands still covering her abdomen. “They probably expected you to be back within the week, not make them wait this long.”

Rolling her eyes at him, Sam brought up their hands and kissed the back of his. “Hmm, I’ll tell them I had to make an important decision… You know, there are a lot of pros and cons to consider, lots of hypotheses to form and they all need to be considered before I can make an informed decision. And I’m not just talking about my career,” she looked up at him, dropping their hands, “I also needed time to come to terms with my personal life after commanding a base in another galaxy for two years.”

“Yeah,” Jack nodded, “just do your techno babble thing, dazzle them with your five-syllable words, when they start asking questions,” he made a vague hand gesture. He wasn’t going into detail about the decisions regarding her personal life, unless it was about him and not her divorce from Shanahan.

“We haven’t discussed it yet,” she finally brought up the subject that had been almost haunting her ever since Daniel asked her about what she was going to do next before he left almost four weeks ago after celebrating the holidays with them.

“What?”

Sam let out an exasperated sigh, wondering if he was doing this on purpose. “My reassignment; we haven’t talked about it yet.”

“I know,” Jack replied slowly as he leaned back and straightened. “It’s your decision, I’m not going to influence it.”

“Jack, we’re in this together,” she looked at him, pleading him with her eyes. “Whatever I decided, it concerns the both of us _and_ the children!”

He understood, hell, he’d been worrying about this from the moment they had gotten together. “I know that, Sam, but it’s your career and I don’t want you to resent me for the choice you’re going to make somewhere down the road,” he sighed, scrubbing his face with his hand. “I’m not going to hold you back.”

She swallowed hard, her eyes cast to the floor. “Do you remember the last time you ‘didn’t want to influence my decision’?” She asked, making air quotes as she recalled his explanation. Catching his eyes as she looked up she knew he remembered that day in her lab, when she had shown him the ring Pete had given her. “That didn’t work out very well, for either of us.”

Jack let out a humorless chuckle as he started pacing. “Don’t remind me,” he almost growled. “So you must’ve done some thinking,” he decided to wait to hear which reassignment she had chosen – because he knew for certain she had already set her sights on one.

“I have,” she said slowly, wondering if that was all he was going to say about this.

“And…?” He prompted her, stopping in front of her.

Letting out a shaky breath, she straightened her shoulders and looked at him. “I’m not sure,” she confessed. “I didn’t know,” Sam made a helpless gesture with her hands, before stopping herself. She had almost instantly known which assignment she wanted but she hadn’t expected that _he_ still wanted her. Well, she had but she just didn’t know where it was going to take them and now they were going to get married and have a baby! “With the baby and all,” she tried.

“What,” Jack almost barked, glowering at her. “It’s an inconvenience now?”

“No!” She gasped, taken aback with his reply. “How dare you?!”

He realized his mistake the moment the words left his mouth and the color drained from her face, she almost looked as if he had struck her. “God,” he groaned, hanging his head as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t-”

“Thinking?” she suggested, still mad at his accusation. Didn’t he know how long she had wanted a baby? Preferably his and now he thought she felt hindered by their baby? “I can’t believe you would say that, that your brain actually thought that-”

“Sam,” Jack grabbed her shoulders, slightly shaking her. “I didn’t mean it, I’m sorry. God, I know you would never think such a thing, it’s just… I don’t know,” he gestured helplessly, “I don’t want to lose you.”

“Funny way of showing it,” she muttered under her breath, still upset.

Lowering his head to look her in the eye, Jack continued. “I love you, Sam, and I have for a very, _very_ long time. At one point, I didn’t think we,” he motioned between them, thinking back to her relationship with Shanahan, “would ever get together. You were happy with someone else and I didn’t begrudge you your happiness, I never could. But, then Atlantis… happened,” he actually blushed at the memory of what they’d done while both at work, “and my hope came back. Eventually you came back to me,” he looked away for a moment, feeling like an old sap. “I was so happy and I didn’t think I could be any happier with you and the kids by my side. You told me about…” He sighed, dragging a hand through his hair as his eyes darted to her stomach. “You said you didn’t think you could have children and I was okay with that, because I hadn’t expected any more children at my age and you were the only woman I would ever consider having kids with,” he admitted. He also knew he had only scratched the surface about her doubts of being able to conceive and how much her possible infertility was affecting her and he wasn’t helping her. Knowing his Sam, she would probably find a way to blame herself.

Sam smiled at that, knowing what he was trying to say. The conversation had been hard on her, she’d been afraid he would turn her away once he found out about her apparent infertility but he hadn’t and she’d understood his point of view. Despite himself, he had told her that he would try to give her a baby if that was what she wanted. Of course, she had been dreaming of having Jack O'Neill’s child for over a decade but her expectations weren’t very high; they would leave it at chance, either she would get pregnant or she wouldn’t. It turned out that fate had a different opinion and now she was actually pregnant. “I know.”

“No you don’t,” he shook his head and cupped her cheeks with his hands. “I hadn’t realized how much I wanted to have a baby with you until Thor told us you were pregnant. I just… I don’t want to lose you, either of you,” Jack admitted. He knew he wasn’t very good at this talking thing and he just hoped she would give him another chance before he’d blow one of the best things that ever happened to him. He loved her so much and he didn’t want to think about what he’d do if he lost her and in some twisted way his brain apparently thought it would be better if he’d simply chase her – and the baby – away rather than have her leave him. Even now that she had accepted his proposal he couldn’t get rid of his old insecurities and he realized there was a good chance _those_ would actually chase her away. If he, by chance, managed _not_ to chase her away there was still the brass they had to worry about. If they were going to reassign her now…. He was the director of HWS, he knew the content of the file with possible reassignments, and because of his own rank and assignment, he would always end up being her superior officer in the same chain of command and most likely her CO again.

“I don’t want to lose you either, Jack O'Neill,” she stated softly. “But you have to understand that we’re in this together, otherwise it’s not going to work. If we’re going to get married we are going to have to make our decisions _together_.”

He nodded slowly, giving her a hesitant smile. “About that, Carter….”

“What?”

“With your meeting in DC, the brass pushing you for your reassignment before they’ll pick it for you… we’re going to have to move up the wedding,” he hesitantly continued, pushing his hands in his pockets as he rocked on his feet. “That is, if you still want me.”

Her head snapped up at his words and God, how could anyone expect her to stay angry with him when he was looking at her like a shy little boy who knew he’d done something wrong? It wasn’t fair, she decided, practically feeling her heart swelling with love for him when he risked a glance at her with puppy dog eyes. “I know and I do,” she reassured him, quirking up the corners of her mouth. She just wanted him to stop second-guessing himself and be committed to this relationship for the full one hundred percent. How could he doubt her feelings for him? Okay, she didn’t have the best track record with men, in particular with fiancés but she now knew she had only married Pete because she thought Jack had given up on her. Doubted that he had actually ever loved her.

“You do?” Jack asked, askant. He watched her nod thoughtfully before she started grinning, which slowly turned into giggling. “Sam?” Okay, it was official: Samantha Carter had lost her mind, he thought, already blaming himself for his earlier stupidity.

“God,” she gasped between giggles, “just look at us.”

He did, his eyes doing a onceover on her before darting in between the two of them. “Sam?”

“I’m sorry,” she tried to suppress more giggles. “I just realized… we are the worst couple. I mean,” she hastened herself to say when she saw his face fall, “I married Pete because I was insecure about your feelings for me, I hoped you would stop me, tell me you still loved me – if you ever had. Now, we’re together and you’re the one doubting _my_ feelings for you,” Sam sighed. “I can’t blame you, not after Pete… but, it’s ridiculous really. I _love_ you, Jack O'Neill and I _do_ want to marry you. Preferably before you’re my CO again.”

Jack smirked, feeling elated. “Sweet! Wait, does that mean you’ve already decided what reassignment you want to pick?”

“Like I said,” she started hesitantly, not wanting to start the discussion all over again, “I thought I had, but now with the baby….”

“You want to go back in the field.” It was more of a statement than a question and he could feel something grip his heart. He wasn’t sure if he could handle her traipsing around the galaxy without being there to cover her six, or at least have Teal'c to watch over her even though he knew she was fully capable of saving all of their collective asses.

“Not the field, per se….”

Jack frowned, glaring at her. “Then what, _exactly_ , Sam?”

“I don’t want to return to SG-1, if that’s what you mean-”

“The _Phoenix_ ,” he remarked, interrupting her as he realized they’d been thinking the same thing. Well, actually he had wanted her reassignment from command of Atlantis to go down differently and he may have commented on how she would be perfect as base commander of the SGC as she had already proven her leadership skills more than once – commanding SG-1, in Nevada and at Atlantis. Not that he didn’t think Hank Landry wasn’t up to the task, but Sam had practically grown up there and she knew everything there was to know about the place and their allies. But he had also realized that Hank was actually still the base commander and it was unlikely he was going to retire on short notice, so he’d figured Carter would go for the _Phoenix_. It was the new _Daedalus_ -class battleship, which was supposed to be finished in the next four months.

Sam grimaced, nodding her head. “Yeah, it’s just that I can’t now.”

“No, it would be great!”

“What?” She frowned at him, wondering what the hell he was thinking. Did he think she would risk the baby just to command her own ship? They might not allow pregnant women to gate travel, but she doubted they’d allow them to command a spaceship. In a way, it was still frontline even if she was a commander. Of course, she wasn’t sure about the rule considering there were no female commanders at the time for any spaceship nor had there been any women – pregnant or not. Still, lately she had pretty much resigned herself to the fact that she was never going to become a mother. Now, she was going to adopt three O'Neill-munchkins and carrying Jack's baby inside of her. She’d been delaying making the decision regarding her reassignment, which was very unlike her but she just didn’t know what to do. “Jack, you can’t be serious!”

“But I am,” he countered. “Sam, it will take at least four more months to finish the ship, although with those incompetent geeks working on it now I’m sure it’s a long way from being finished. Still, it would give you a couple of more weeks before you have to inform your CO – which would be me again – of your pregnancy. The President and the JCS will have to reassign you, unless the ship isn’t complete yet because then they’ll want you to finish it,” he explained. “It gives us some extra time.”

“Okay,” Sam replied confidently. “I guess that I’ll take the position then.”

Jack cocked his head, looking at her. “Just like that?”

“Like you said, I had already made my decision,” she admitted, blushing. “I just didn’t think it was possible anymore and I wanted to make sure you would support my decision.”

“Okay,” he echoed, “that just leaves the wedding.”

“We already have the rings,” Sam shrugged, smiling impishly. They’d been shopping for days; online mostly and visiting some renowned jewelries in the country, but nothing had been good enough. No gold, they had both said because it reminded them of the Goa'uld. No gaudiness, it had to match her engagement ring somewhat. She didn’t want it to be bland and Jack had wanted something simple. She had seen his old wedding ring from his marriage to Sara and wanted something different but he’d been wining about… well, pretty much everything. Eventually, they finally succeeded after Ilse had pulled some strings for them with her contacts in the jewelry business and they’d finally found their rings. “All we need is our friends and family and a place to get married.”

“You’re sure about this?” Jack asked, wanting to be certain. “You know, you usually take your time deciding what you want for lunch but you just want to go ahead and get married?”

She chuckled, punching his shoulder. “Well, I have been waiting for this for a very long time.”

“You and me both,” he admitted, taking a step closer and opening his arms.

Without reservation, Sam stepped into his embrace and snuggled up to him. “So, are we done fighting?”

“Yeah, time to make up,” Jack quipped, waggling his brows.

 


	18. Making Up

Sam gasped when her back hit the wall and, foolishly, tried to look up into what she knew were Jack's dark, passion-filled eyes bumping her head against it too. “Ow,” she moaned, wincing. She didn’t have time to say more, do a mental check to ascertain whether there was serious damage, complain or even feel or _think_ about anything else but Jack's hands on her waist, tugging at her clothes, his mouth recapturing hers and challenging her tongue to a duel for dominancy. “Jack,” she moaned as she pulled back slightly, trying to catch her breath before he started assaulting her mouth again. But God, his tongue was skilled and he tasted so exquisite, she thought to herself when he expertly thrust his tongue in again. His hands seemed to be everywhere, setting her body on fire and the lust in his eyes when he opened them briefly fueled her own.

Finally tearing his mouth from hers, Jack rested his head in the crook of her neck, trying to calm himself and catch his breath. “God Sam,” he hissed when she moved her hips against his. Digging his fingers into her sides, he pulled her body against his while taking a step forward to almost push her inside the wall. He inserted his leg between hers as he softly nipped the soft skin of her neck, enjoying her reaction as her hands restlessly moved over his back and finally grabbed his rear to pull him even closer. Their bodies were flush against each other and he felt her irregular breathing with her breasts pressing against his chest.

She squirmed when he pushed his leg up higher but the overwhelming passion was too much for her and her body betrayed her by slowly grinding against him. His mouth was hot and wet against her overheated skin and her breath hitched when he pressed his hips against her, his erection insistently pushing against her lower belly. Squeezing his six one last time, Sam moved one hand up to tangle in his short hair, trying to guide his head back up to her lips while the other slipped between their bodies as she unbuckled his belt. “Bedroom,” she whispered when she realized they were still standing in Lily’s old room. The words had barely left her mouth and his warm body pulled away from her, his hand roughly grabbing her arm and dragging her out of the room.

His lips found hers again as he walked backwards towards the master bedroom. She tasted so sweet, pure Carter and he knew he’d never get enough of her. He slid his free hand from the back of her neck into her hair, wrapping his fingers around the silky locks and pulling slightly. God, how he wanted her. His trousers were becoming very uncomfortable, despite loosening his belt already and Jack couldn’t wait to get to their room. He bumped into the door and let go of her arm to push the handle down, never releasing her mouth while keeping her close with his hand in her hair.

Sam was trembling with need and almost leaped forward towards the bed, but Jack's hand kept her in place while his tongue was thrusting into her mouth in motions she hoped he would repeat with other body parts. Soon, _very_ soon! She gasped when his calloused fingertips ran over her stomach, her sides and back as he pulled up her shirt. Moaning, she threw her head back, ending their passionate kiss and licked her lips as she pushed him back against the now-closed door.

Never one to miss an opportunity, Jack let her take the lead for a moment while he enjoyed her nuzzling his neck, nipping and kissing the flesh while his hands explored her upper body, barely touching her breasts. She pushed her body against him, making him smirk because he knew what she wanted. _His_ Carter was a very sensual woman and she wasn’t afraid to show him what she wanted – he however, wasn’t afraid to tease her a bit. “C-Carter,” he hissed when she palmed him through his uniform. Opening his eyes, he found himself staring into the beautiful, flushed face of his fiancée, her eyes dark blue with passion, her pupils dilated and her lips bruised from his kisses. Leaning forward, he caught her lower lip, sucking on it, nipping, before biting down, making her squeak as he ran his tongue over the sensitive flesh.

She pulled back, tasting the slightly metallic taste of blood from her lip and only then did she notice Jack's almost feral look. He was gorgeous – not that she’d tell him that – and dangerous when he was looking at her like that, as if she was his prey and he’d pounce on her any minute now. His fingers were digging painfully in her sides and she licked her lips nervously as her breathing was labored. In a nanosecond everything was dark before the cold temperature hit her skin, making her shiver. Her arms were up in the air and before she realized it they were down already, her shirt gone and her bra unclasped as Jack tugged it down her arms, smirking. In the blink of an eye, he twirled them around and her suddenly naked breasts were pressing against his uniform, the coldness of the door seeping into her back but she barely noticed when his hands cupped her ass and he ground against her. Flames were igniting in her body, her blood almost boiling as the warmth of his body combined with the friction of his dress blues against her skin heated her from the outside as well as the inside. Sam all but jumped in his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and smothering his protest with her mouth on his, forcing him to hold up her body as she rocked against him.

“Christ,” Jack moaned into her mouth, grinding his painful erection against her jeans, annoyed with the barrier of clothing. With a suppleness that belied his age, he slid one arm under that sweet six of hers and moved towards the bed while the other arm reached up to grab her hairs roughly, pulling her lips from his as she yelped in protest. “You’re gonna be the death of me,” he narrowed his eyes at her, but the sight of a highly aroused and half-naked Samantha Carter in his arms was effectively shutting down his brain. His lips caught hers again, his tongue demanding entrance to explore her hot and wet mouth.

Sam gasped when all of a sudden her world started spinning and they tumbled down onto the bed. Winded by his hard body covering hers, _landing_ on top of her she tugged on his hair as her legs automatically opened to cradle his body. “Jack,” she mewed, overcome by sensations as his mouth worked his way down her throat, his tongue darting out every now and then. Despite her jeans, she could feel his arousal as he ground against her, her pelvis jerking at the intimate contact before she wrapped her legs around him to pull him closer. “Oh God,” she moaned when his calloused fingertips brushed against her sensitive skin just above the waistline of her jeans. Her hips bucked, silently urging him to continue and move lower.

He smirked against her collarbone, his tongue tracing it before moving back up to her pulse point. Her pulse was in overdrive and he loved knowing he was the cause of it. Her heart was racing in her chest too; he could feel it despite the clothes he was still wearing. It was almost in sync with his own heartbeat, he thought as his hand moved lower, the other still tangled in her blond locks. With ease, he unbuttoned her jeans and pulled down the zipper, all the while kissing his way down her sternum to the tantalizing swell of her breasts.

“Jack,” she tried to urge him on, moving her hips up so he could take care of her last remaining clothes as efficiently as he had of the rest. Frustrated with his lack of action, his teasing, Sam tried to push him up but he quickly latched onto her nipple, making her back arch at the unexpected contact. His hot mouth enveloped her sensitive peak and she briefly wondered if she could be one of those women who could have a nipple orgasm she’d read about in one of those magazines Cassie had sent her while she was in Atlantis. Jack was doing the most wonderful things to her aching breasts, using his lips, tongue, teeth and his fingers and nails for the other one. Her eyes fluttered in ecstasy when he switched breasts, his hot breath over her wet skin sending shivers throughout her body, making her shudder underneath him. “Please,” she almost begged, once again her hands slipping between them to get rid of the clothes. With one swift move, she pulled down her jeans and panties to her thighs, shamelessly rubbing herself against his groin despite the limited movement.

Her soft skin felt like silk to his hands, making him moan around her pebbled nipple. He loved her soft whimpers as she trashed her head on the bed underneath his ministrations. Releasing her nipple, he traced the aureole with his tongue before slowly kissing his way to the soft flesh in the valley between her luscious breasts. Jack brought one hand up to cup the breast he just abandoned, gently massaging it while his other trailed down her side, goose bumps appearing in its trail in his attempt to rid her of all clothes. She bucked when he scraped the crease where thigh met hip with his nails, her pelvis pressing against his erection making him groan. “Carter,” he almost growled against her skin, his mouth pressing butterfly kisses on the swell of her breast. Nuzzling his way to her perky nipple, he gently caught it between his teeth, his tongue swirling around the little bud, making her hiss. His other hand reached her jeans and panties and tugged them down further.

She pressed her head back in the mattress when his hand left her breast, his mouth still hot on the other, to support himself on the bed as he lifted his body from hers. “Jack,” she murmured, her hands grasping the jacket covering his shoulders as she brought up her body when the warmth of his body left hers. He used it as an opportunity to tug her jeans down her knees, she automatically brought up her hips to help him and press herself against him again. The firm fabric of his dress blues was rough against her sensitized skin, but arousing at the same time. “Oh yessss,” she gasped when he gently but firmly pressed her back in the mattress, flinging the last of her clothing over his shoulder and ran his hands up her smooth legs.

Slowly, Jack kissed his way down her sternum, only briefly nuzzling the valley between her breasts before licking, kissing and nipping her stomach. His hands wrapped around her thighs, forcing her to open them wider to cradle his body. He could already feel her heat, even through his uniform and he took a deep breath trying to quell the urge to rip off his clothes and take her right there. It only served to inhale her unique scent as he nuzzled the skin around her bellybutton, her warm skin almost burning to the touch and he could already smell her arousal, fueling his own.

The touch of his rough hands sliding up and down her thighs was tantalizing as was his tongue teasing her navel, swirling around, dipping in and even nibbling on her skin with his teeth. Sam writhed beneath him, torn between grabbing his hair and pulling him down or hauling him up her body and ripping off his trousers. It took her a few seconds to realize that the incomprehensible mumbling she heard was coming from herself, her mind almost numb, her voice throaty and her mouth dry. She felt his strong, long and lean fingers gripping her flesh, kneading her thighs rough enough to leave bruises but she couldn’t care less. Now, all she wanted was for him to stop teasing and either move his hands up or lower his kisses – or maybe both. “No, no… Jack,” she mumbled, her head trashing on the pillow. “Don’t stop, just… don’t.”

Jack had no intention of stopping, especially not when she was grinding her hips against his. “Sam,” he growled, kissing his way back up her stomach. Her perfect alabaster skin was flushed and heated as he let go of her legs, placing his hands on either side of her to slowly trail up her body. Looking up her body, he enjoyed the view of her toned body, her round breasts, chest heaving, cheeks burning, hair tousled before locking his eyes with her darkened blue ones. Darting out his tongue, he licked up to her breasts, cooling the hot skin with his wet tongue. Her own wetness was rubbing against him, making him thrust against her, not caring about ruining his dress blues. It was pretty much a fantasy come true, anyway. Leaning his weight to the right, he placed his left elbow on the mattress before shifting his body to support him on that. He grazed her firm breasts with his teeth, making her jerk when they touched her tightened nipples and brought his right hand up to tangle in her hair. Gently pulling her head forward, he captured her lips with his, thrusting his tongue inside her hot mouth at the same time as he thrust his erection against her.

Sam moaned into his mouth, her tongue sliding along his before she pulled back and sucked in his, gently biting down every now and then. His thrusts became more erratic, her legs wrapped around him, caressing the rough fabric with her calves as she ground against him. She whimpered when he broke the kiss, nuzzling her neck as they both tried to catch their breath. The feel of his dress blues against her skin was an erotic contrast, creating a delicious friction with his buttons, badges and awards rubbing against her. “Jack… more,” she almost begged, running her hand through his hair and one down his back, squeezing his ass as she pulled him closer against her.

He grinned against her neck, nipping on her pulse point before moving down to her shoulder. He bit down softly, running his tongue over the mark of his teeth marring her pale skin decorated with freckles. He inhaled sharply, enjoying the scent of her soft skin as it assaulted his senses. Again shifting, he leaned most of his weight on his left arm, his right moving freely. His hand caressed her taut stomach, lazily drawing invisible symbols on her skin, smirking when she moaned, her hips bucking. “Beautiful,” he murmured, looking at her face before his eyes drifted lower, taking in her round, firm and luscious breasts, the pale expanse of skin decorated with freckles and scars, her taut stomach that showed no signs of the baby inside yet to the small triangle of blond curls pressed against his groin.

His touch was burning on her already heated skin and it started to tingle when he was caressing her stomach. Frowning, she leaned up a bit but then his hand slid between their bodies and his rough fingertips were circling her clit, making thoughts and speaking impossible. He moved, cold air hitting her body and she whimpered in protest. “Jack don’t stop, please,” she murmured, gasping when she felt his hands on her thighs again, pressing them further apart before his breath blew over her heated center. Her eyes rolled back as soon as he touched her aching flesh, her legs opening even further to give him more room. “God yes,” Sam cried out, her hands sliding down her own body, briefly massaging her breasts as her back arched when his tongue darted out to trace her wet opening. Gasping, her hands continued their journey south until she felt the firm fabric of his dress blues, her fingers grasping at his shoulders, sliding up his neck to cup his head.

Jack hissed when her fingers tugged on his short hair and tightened his grip on her thighs. She was squirming in his hold, writhing on the mattress with her hips bucking when he flicked her clit with his tongue. He loved the taste of her lips, her mouth, her clean skin, her sweaty skin, her aroused skin and god did he love the taste of _her_. Tracing her folds with his tongue, he nuzzled her clit as he let his hands slide up higher to grab her ass and pull her closer.

By now Sam was shamelessly moving against his face, raising her heavy legs to throw them over his shoulder. The sight of him, his silver head between her thighs and her legs dangling over his dress blues-covered shoulders was almost enough to make her come on the spot. The stars on his shoulders were pressing into the back of her thighs, the chafing only intensifying her pleasure as his mouth closed over her clit. “God, Jack!” One of his calloused palms caressed her ass and before she could enjoy the intimate touch, he thrust two of his fingers inside her opening. “Yes, oh yes,” she moaned, her head trashing on the bed, unable to keep herself still as his fingers started a quick pace and a third joined them, stretching her deliciously and almost painfully as he moved them around inside of her. “Jack!”

He pressed butterfly kisses on her sensitive flesh while she continued to climax around his fingers, her internal muscles grasping at them while her fluids flowed down his hand. Patiently, he waited until she came down from her high before slipping his fingers out of her, licking them clean as he moved up her body.

Automatically, Sam's hands grasped his shoulders, pulling him over her body, her eyes still closed as she enjoyed the satisfied feeling of coming down from climaxing. She was still trying to get her breathing under control when she felt his nose nuzzling her neck. Moving her head to give him more room, she sighed, one hand running through his hair while the other caressed the thick fabric of his uniform covering his back. His unbuckled belt was pressed between their legs and bringing her own up to wrap around his waist, she felt his rock hard erection pressing against the inside of her thigh. “Hmm,” she moaned, opening her eyes when he was kissing his way up her jaw. Turning her head, she captured his lips with hers, smiling into the kiss as she tasted herself in his mouth. Tightening her legs and arms around him, she easily rolled them over.

Jack let his hands slide down her back, cupping her six as she sat up, straddling him. She was like a goddess with her toned body, gorgeous face and those blond locks framing it. “Something you wanted?” He asked, smirking lazily despite the raging hard-on trapped inside the confines of his trousers.

“Well,” Sam sighed, sliding her hands down his tanned neck, from his collar down over his chest, caressing the badges, medals and decorations adorning his uniform. “With all due respect, _Sir_ ,” she said saucily, “despite how handsome you look in your dress blues, the badges were pressing slightly uncomfortable against my skin, _General_.”

He growled when she almost purred his rank and ground against his erection at the same time. Bucking against her wet center he held her in place with his hands. “What are you going to do about _that_ ,” he replied, pressing his erection against her, “ _Colonel_?”

She grinned, biting her lip as her hands trailed back up, slowly unbuttoning his jacket and untying his tie. “Wait and see, General,” she purred, pulling aside the jacket to attack the buttons of his shirt.

Content to just lie there and watch her work, her breasts swaying lightly with every move she made and that adorable flush coloring her pale skin, Jack moved his hands up and down her sides. He loved the way she reacted to him, her breathing already unsteady by just a few fleeting caresses. He moved one hand to caress her stomach as she started rocking against him, humming softly when her fingers touched his exposed chest. His breathing hitched when she scraped her nails over his nipples and he bucked against her, the crotch of his trousers already soaked with her juices as she continued to move over him. “Samantha,” he drawled, his eyes focused on her taut stomach as he lazily traced invisible patterns over it with his hand.

“It is appropriate to refer to a person by their rank, not their first name,” Sam replied sweetly, bending forwards to take lick his chest. “You should call me ‘Colonel’, not ‘Samantha’.”

He chuckled, her reply reminding him of when they first met but his humor was short-lived when her hot mouth covered his nipple. “God,” he groaned, tightening the grip he had on her six as he thrust up. “How about ‘Carter’?” He asked, breathlessly. Not that he minded playing out one of the fantasies he’d had over the years, but he wasn’t sure his brain was going to be cooperating for much longer.

Tugging on the loosened tie, Sam threw it over her shoulder. “I guess it’ll have to do, Sir,” she purred, pushing his jacket and shirt down his arms. When he sat up to help her, she pulled them off and threw them to the side, giving him a quick kiss for the help before placing her hand on his chest to push him back down. Her hands roamed his bare chest, enjoying the feeling of his skin under her palms and the way his chest hair felt around her fingers. Leaning down, she nipped his collar bone, before kissing her way down his chest. “Sorry for ruining your uniform, Sir,” she mumbled between kisses as her hands worked on the button of his pants.

“I-I’m sure… you’ll make it up to me, Carter,” Jack stammered slightly as her hands fleetingly touched his erection while working on his trousers. He knew she was doing it on purpose, but enjoyed it nonetheless. “God dammit, hurry up, Colonel,” he barked when she was taking her time before pulling down his trousers and boxers.

She giggled at his order as she pulled the last clothing articles down his legs and dropped them on the floor, before turning her attention back to him as she heard him let out a sigh of relief when his erection sprang free. His hands immediately grasped her waist when she straddled him again.

Her wet center was pressing against his erection, making his eyes roll back in his head. He ground his hips against hers while his thumbs caressed her stomach. “No giggling, Colonel.”

“Yes Sir,” she replied huskily, her hand reaching down to cup and massage his balls. She knew he was already close from their foreplay and getting her off. Lifting her hips, she slid her hand up and guided him inside of her, her breath hitching when he stretched her.

Jack gasped, his fingers digging into her sides as he thrust up inside of her, filling her. He would never tire of making love to her as it felt as good and wonderful as it had the first time every time. “Sam,” he groaned, urging her to pick up the pace as he was so close already. Sliding one hand down her hip, he caressed her thigh before sliding it into her folds, opening her to his eyes.

Moving faster, Sam leaned her hands on his chest, gnawing her lips as his fingers found her clit and started rubbing it roughly. “More,” she managed to whisper, twisting her hips as she moved up and down on him, lost in the feeling.

With one hand on her hip and the other rubbing and tugging on her clit, he watched himself slide in and out of her as they kept their rhythm. Her muscles started contracting around him and pinching her bundle of nerves, she flew apart, crying out as she went over the edge. Growling, Jack wrapped his arms around her and rolled them over. Grasping her thighs, he urged her legs high up on his waist as he thrust hard into her, until he felt his balls constrict and he was coming too. “God Sam,” he moaned, as he emptied himself inside of her, his face resting on her shoulder.

She let out a deep sigh, her chest still heaving from the exertion as her hands trailed over his damp back. Loving the feel of him inside and on top of her, Sam held him to her, making sure he didn’t move just yet. She pressed a kiss in his silver hair as he rested his head on her breasts. “I always wanted to make love to you in your dress blues,” she mumbled, chuckling softly.

He snorted, not bothering to move his head from its resting place. “Ditto,” he murmured, before frowning. “You do realize I’m not actually wearing anything, right?”

Giggling, Sam punched his shoulder. “I needed to feel your skin on me,” she replied softly. “We can try again with you still in uniform,” she offered.

“Practice makes perfect,” he agreed, rolling off her and to his side. “Can we both wear them?”

“I thought you hated clichés?”

Jack smirked, holding her gaze as his hands stroke her stomach. “Not all of them,” he quipped.

Sam gasped when the tingling and heat in her stomach came back as his thumbs were caressing the skin. Looking down she noticed a barely there white trail following his thumbs and froze, shocked. “Jack.”

Following her gaze, he noticed something akin to white light on her stomach whenever his thumbs caressed it. The trails were hot to the touch and just to make sure, he stroked the flesh with his fingers, creating even more trails. “That’s… weird,” he muttered.

Reaching down to touch her belly, Sam scowled when nothing happened. “It’s the baby,” she stated, amazed. “It must be the ATA gene that’s causing it,” she explained, thinking that although somewhat dimmer the light resembled the bright white light they had seen coming from Ancient technology at times.

“You’re not… worried about it?” He asked cautiously, slightly freaked out and wondering why the hell she was so calm. Almost as if she was looking at a new doohickey instead of her own body.

“Why?” She blinked at him. “Should I be?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged. “I’m pretty sure it’s not normal, you know.”

“I’ll mention it to Thor, but right now there’s nothing we can do about it,” Sam replied, grasping his hand in hers to guide his fingers over her skin, enthralled by the sight.

Jack nodded slowly, not completely reassured yet. “When is your checkup?”

Tearing her eyes away from her stomach, she looked at the alarm clock over his shoulder. “He’ll be in orbit in three hours,” she answered. “He’ll contact me then… Jack!”

“What?”

“It’s Wednesday!”

“So?” He asked, frowning at her.

Rolling her eyes at him, Sam sighed. “The kids?”

“Oh crap,” he muttered, finally realizing it was almost 1130 hours, meaning he only had half an hour until they were free from school. “Crap,” he grunted, “I’ll take a shower and then I’ll pick them up.”

 


	19. Back to Real Life

"So, what does this mean?" Jack asked, glancing from his hand on Sam's belly to Thor.

Thor blinked as he studied the glowing trails on Colonel Carter's abdomen. "I am unsure, O'Neill."

"You mean you don't know?" He wondered aloud, incredulous.

Sam grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Easy Jack, I think Thor is just as surprised as we are," she told him. If the small alien had more facial muscles and eyebrows, she was sure his brows would've reached his non-existent hairline the moment they showed him what they had discovered in bed.

"You are correct, Colonel Carter," Thor confirmed as he walked over to his console.

Jack grimaced, unlacing their hands as he followed the alien. "But you have to have some idea, right?"

"I believe that Colonel Carter was correct in her first assumption," he replied, moving one of the stones over the control panel. "Your genetic code is an important step forward in the evolutionary chain-"

"Yeah yeah," he interrupted him, "because of the ATA gene and me being able to carry and utilize the repository of the Ancients."

"Indeed," Thor nodded slightly. "It would appear this genetic trait has been passed on to the child Colonel Carter is carrying as was the case with the other O'Neill children."

Jack's eyes darted towards the computer screen that displayed the kids in their 'playroom' aboard the  _Samantha Carter_  when Thor mentioned them. "You're saying this is  _normal_?"

Sam snickered at his incredulous tone as she pulled down her sweater. "Well, it very well could be, I guess we'll never know unless we meet a pregnant Ancient."

"So that means it would've happened when I touched Lily's belly when she was pregnant, too?" He asked, looking from his fiancée to Thor.

"One would assume," Thor replied. "Yet it did not happen?"

"Well, unlike  _some_  people," Jack glared at him, "she wore clothes so I wouldn't have noticed if it  _had_  happened. See?" He asked as he placed his hand on Sam's covered stomach and nothing showed, although he thought he could feel some heat coming through the fabric.

Shrugging, Sam linked their fingers. "I guess it's a good thing, because it would be difficult to explain why my shirt seems to light up every time you touch it."

"Colonel Carter, would you allow Heimdall to join us during your examination? He has not once had the privilege to witness a human carrying a developing offspring within the body and is most curious." Thor asked as he guided her back to a small platform in order to conduct a thorough medical scan.

Sam stepped up the platform and sat down on the Asgard variation of a hospital bed, knowing from her checkup three weeks ago what to expect. Exchanging glances with Jack, she shrugged. "Sure, why not."

"Very well," he replied, pleased with her consent. "I will return shortly with Heimdall," Thor inclined his head as he moved the last stone over the control panel, starting the scan.

"You're still not worried?" Jack asked as he leaned against the console, facing his fiancée.

Sam gnawed her lip, trying to sit still as a purple beam, looking similar to the blue beam they'd encountered on Cimmeria coming from Thor's Hammer moved over her, scanning her body. "Thor didn't seem concerned and like I said, it's probably because of the ATA gene you apparently passed on to the baby."

"And it doesn't worry you that even Thor doesn't know what it is exactly? He  _assumes_  that you were right about the gene," he retorted.

"Well," Sam sighed, "you have to take into consideration that the Asgard don't have a lot of experience with pregnancies."

Jack raised his brow, cocking his head. "Again, this doesn't worry you?"

"There isn't anything we can do about it," Sam tried to explain her reasoning. "The Asgard are the only ones we know who knew the Ancients and understand most of their technology. Who else could we consult? Their medical equipment is as advanced as the technology we found in Atlantis' infirmary, if not more."

"I guess," he mumbled, still slightly worried. If this had happened to his half-sister as well, why hadn't she said anything when she'd been pregnant with Milou? Or with the twins, although she'd been rather weak at that time and it could be that her health had influenced it. After all, Lily had to have been a carrier of the gene for her children to have it so she had to light up whenever she touched her own stomach, right? "You know, Thor had a point about Lily… wouldn't the same have happened to her during her pregnancies whenever she touched her belly? Or even without touching it as she was a carrier of the ATA gene as well."

Sam shrugged slightly, already thinking about that herself. "Perhaps it didn't happen because the children were inside of her body. Or maybe that activation theory is right; if she never came in contact with Ancient technology her gene may not have been activated."

"Colonel Carter, O'Neill," Heimdall greeted as he and Thor walked in. "I am most honored that you have allowed me to be present at this time."

"Think nothing of it," Jack said nonchalantly.

"The scan is complete," Thor announced as he padded over to his console, shooing O'Neill with one hand in order to examine the results.

Relieved, Sam slipped off the bed and joined the others near the consoles. "Is everything okay?"

"Colonel Carter, are you experiencing any symptoms from the pregnancy?" Heimdall asked, having studied literature about the phenomenon for quite some time in the hopes of finding something that could help with his own research regarding ancient Asgard ancestors and their own current cloning problem.

"Fatigue," she replied, thinking. "A bit of lightheadedness in the morning or whenever I've been lying down for a while."

"You constantly have to pee," Jack chimed in.

Glaring at him, Sam rolled her eyes. "Yes, that too. Nausea of course, but it's not as bad as I'd feared… although I do feel a little sick at the moment," she grimaced, her hand on her stomach.

"Could that be from the beaming in and maybe the scans?" Jack asked the two Asgard. "The same thing happened with her previous checkup, three weeks ago," he elaborated. "But it went away as soon as we were home again."

"I am unsure," Heimdall said slowly, looking at Thor.

"You have not experienced nausea before whenever you used 'beaming' technology?" Thor asked, using the Tau'ri term. As Colonel Carter shook her head, he continued. "I find it highly unlikely this is the cause of your discomfort."

Heimdall returned his attention to the screen to study the hormone levels measured in Colonel Carter. "What about your mammary glands?"

"Ah, er… they're fine," Sam stammered, glancing down at her chest. "Perhaps a bit more sensitive and… well, maybe a bit bigger."

"Definitely," Jack muttered under his breath, smirking as he eyed her breasts. Not that he minded, oh no! He had always loved her full, firm, perky and luscious breasts. They weren't huge but not small either, fitting perfectly in his hands. But now they were even fuller and firmer, her nipples and aureoles even darker and tender to his touch. Yes, he definitely didn't mind the changes her body was going through. She was becoming only more beautiful, especially once she started showing – he could practically imagine Sam with that glow pregnant women have, her protruding belly holding their baby….

"Your hormone levels," Heimdall said hesitantly, searching for the correct terms the Tau'ri used, "are increased, estrogen and progesterone in particular which cause these changes."

Sam nodded in understanding. "Yes, I've read about that too."

"Luckily there are no mood changes or strange cravings yet," Jack quipped, grinning. He was hoping that Sam wouldn't get those symptoms or at least not as bad as Sara had when she had been pregnant with Charlie. He'd been away a lot during her pregnancy but he still remembered  _that_ , it was hard to forget when it started practically the moment he stepped through the door. On the other hand, he was hoping that Sam would get that increased libido. Which trimester was that again?

Thor nodded as he moved another stone around to call up Colonel Carter's vitals, ignoring O'Neill's comment. "Your cardiac volume has increased with approximately thirty percent, which is satisfactory for the moment. The increased cardiac output is necessary for the uterus."

"There are no further symptoms?" Heimdall inquired again.

Sam shook her head as she padded away, feeling a bit tired already. "No, nothing that comes to mind… oh, there was some mild spotting but according to the literature I read it was normal," she replied as she sat down on one of the normal-sized chairs – that looked suspiciously like a set she'd seen in Jack's storage – near the wall.

"That's it?" Jack asked, frowning at the screen. He had expected a bit more and felt somewhat disappointed.

Inclining his head slightly, Heimdall looked at O'Neill. "Would you like to learn more?"

"Like what?" He narrowed his eyes, not trusting the little gray alien to  _not_  bore him to tears with unimportant information. His head snapped up when he heard the scraping of a chair on the floor, looking in Sam's direction.

Doubling over, Sam's eyes darted around for something resembling a wastebasket but before she could find anything, she gagged and a second later her breakfast and lunch landed on the floor of the  _Samantha Carter_. "Gah," she moaned, clutching her stomach as she tried to suppress another wave of nausea.

"Oh crap," Jack exclaimed, running over to her. "Are you okay, Carter?"

"Just peachy," she whispered, her throat sore from the bile. "Sorry Thor."

Thor apprehensively padded over to her. "It is quite all right, Colonel Carter, you did not do it on purpose."

Helping her up and handing her a hanky from his pocket, Jack rubbed her back soothingly. "Very considerate of you to give Heimdall a demonstration of the symptoms, Sam."

She snorted at his quip as she padded her mouth with the hanky. Her stomach churned when she steadied herself against the wall, making her sway slightly.

"Sam?" Jack asked, trying to look into her eyes to make sure she was really okay as he steadied her with an arm around her waist.

"The naquadah," Sam groaned when realization dawned on her. Straightening, she glared at Thor and Heimdall. "Is this ship constructed of the same naquadah-trinium-carbon alloy as the  _O'Neill_?"

"You are correct," Thor replied, gently steering them away from the orally ejected stomach contents. "Does the naquadah of the ship aggravate your nausea?"

"Yeah sure you betcha," she replied weakly. Normally the tingling sensation when she sensed naquadah gave her a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach but since the pregnancy it had gotten worse. Of course, she had to find out about that when she was on a ship constructed of a naquadah alloy!

Heimdall cleared his throat. "Perhaps this will make you feel better, Colonel Carter," he said, handing her a cup of water before turning towards the console.

Sam eagerly swallowed the water and thanked him.

"Measurements of the offspring indicate that the  _Samantha Carter_ 's initial assessment of the siring was correct," Thor announced.

Jack frowned at him. "What measurements?"

Moving another stone, Heimdall changed the screen. "The child's posture makes it more difficult to get a correct measurement but our estimation is that from crown to rump the offspring measures zero decimal six  _thumb-ell_."

"Huh?"

"You would say zero decimal inch or one decimal six centimeters, O'Neill," Thor felt inclined to explain.

"You can tell the baby's size?" Sam asked in wonder.

"Indeed," Heimdall confirmed. "It weighs approximately one  _ôrtug_."

Jack raised his brows at Thor in a silent question. "Thor, buddy?"

"One gram or zero decimal zero four ounces."

"Ah," he nodded in understanding.

"That's incredible," Sam beamed at the two Asgard, already forgetting about her queasy stomach. "And the baby is all right?"

"Would you like to see for yourself?" Heimdall inquired as he moved another stone.

Sam gasped when the readings were replaced with 4D images of their unborn baby on the screen. "Did you record that just now?"

"Indeed," Thor confirmed. "The heartbeat is strong and steady," he continued as he moved another stone and the sound reverberated throughout the chamber.

"Wow," Jack mumbled, grinning at Sam as he grabbed her hand. "It looks like a cute little alien."

"Do you see the little fingers and toes?" She asked him, pointing at the short and still-webbed digits. "The ears and nose should be developing now too," she continued. "He flexed and bent his elbows!"

Heimdall nodded seriously and froze the image. "The intestines have moved into the abdomen and the tongue is starting to develop as well."

"Primitive neural pathways appear to develop in order," Thor chimed in.

Sam nodded, taking in all the information while her gaze never left the screen. "So that means I'm about eight weeks along?"

"Indeed, Colonel Carter."

Jack squeezed her hand, trying to get her attention. "You really should make an appointment with a physician, Sam."

"You have not yet visited an Earth doctor?" Heimdall questioned, wondering why the smart female had not yet done so.

She shook her head, sighing. "I know I should, but I just wanted to make sure everything was all right with the baby. I've been looking at the ACOG website for an ob-gyn in Washington," she told Jack, "but I'm glad we haven't visited one yet because I'm sure that person would've freaked out if you'd happened to touch my stomach."

"Good point," Jack conceded. "Still, you have to get one, Sam."

"Thor, Heimdall," she turned towards the two aliens, "what about the naquadah traces in my blood? Would they show up in my blood test?"

"I am unsure," Thor admitted. "Cannot one of your Stargate Command physicians monitor your pregnancy?"

Sam shook her head adamantly. "No! I can't let anyone know I'm pregnant yet," she explained. Besides, Doctor Lam wasn't Janet, not by a long shot. She couldn't trust the woman to keep her secret nor did she know her medical records like Janet used to. "I just want to make sure the naquadah or the ATA gene won't cause any trouble."

"I see," Thor nodded pensively. "The naquadah in your blood will pass through the umbilical cord and the placenta, but we have no experience with former Tok'ra or Goa'uld hosts who have become pregnant."

"So, you're saying that you don't know if the baby will have naquadah in their blood?"

"Indeed O'Neill. However, it is most likely the child will not acquire the naquadah from Colonel Carter's blood unless it has been incorporated in her ova by the Tok'ra who once resided within her."

Sam sighed, realizing she still didn't have an answer. "I guess I'll just have to take my chances then," she shrugged and turned to Jack. "I'll find an ob-gyn after I know what the brass has to tell me."

Jack nodded in understanding, already thinking the same. If the brass wanted her to start her reassignment as soon as possible, it depended on which assignment she was getting. She could very well end up in Nevada again if she had to work on the  _Phoenix_  but maybe she could work from home first, stay in DC with him and the kids until her presence was required to oversee the last stages of the new ship. So she couldn't really decide which ob-gyn she was going to approach if she didn't know in which state she'd be stationed. "Despite the naquadah, the baby and Sam are healthy, right?"

"Indeed," Thor confirmed.

"No genetic defects or chromosomal abnormalities?" Sam asked, realizing she was at risk for Down syndrome, high blood pressure, miscarriage and possibly more now that she was already forty and having put her body through a lot during her military career.

"None that are known for humans," Heimdall replied. "If you will step into the medical pod we can reverse any damage done to your abdomen during your years on the front line as well as the effects of time."

Surprised that she didn't even have to voice her concern over that, Sam meekly walked over to the pod and climbed in. "I was wondering about the naquadah affecting the baby's health, though," she told the two aliens. "Sha're told us that when Apophis had impregnated her, the Goa'uld Amaunet within was forced to remain dormant during the pregnancy to prevent a stillbirth. We know that large amounts of naquadah in the bloodstream of the host are fatal but any damage the trace amounts in it causes is usually healed by the symbiote and it allows them to use certain naquadah-based technology."

"Indeed," Thor inclined his head as he operated the controls for the medical pod. "Former hosts carry an even slighter amount of naquadah in their blood, making it possible for yourself to operate their technology. However, there is not enough naquadah present to cause you any damage. As I have stated earlier, the Asgard have no experience with pregnant former hosts."

"So you don't know if it will harm the baby," Jack concluded, raising a brow.

"We do not know for certain," Heimdall confirmed. "This is why we want to monitor the health of Colonel Carter and her unborn child."

* * *

"Do you have everything?" Jack asked again when she came downstairs, her only bag in hand.

Sam nodded, dropping the bag and ticked off her fingers as she summed up her things. "Jeans, lingerie, sweater, shirt, dress, shoes, prenatal supplements, makeup, cell phone, keys, and wallet… the rest can stay here and if I've forgotten anything you can take it with you when you come to DC."

He nodded and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her. "I have a videoconference with the President the day after tomorrow and if you are being reassigned by the brass then I'll tell him I'm coming back to DC."

"Are you sure?" She asked, snuggling closer and resting her head on his heart. "I mean, the kids are going to school here and Milou is just getting settled in her new class."

"They'll be fine," Jack reassured her. "They're used to this; we always spend a few months a year here and the rest in DC, that's why they're going to an international school. We'll just be going back to DC a little earlier than usual, but I'm sure they won't mind if that means they get to spend more time with you."

Sam smiled shyly as she looked up at him. "I hope so."

"I know so," he replied, smirking. "What time did you have to be in DC?"

"I have to be there in half an hour," she sighed, rolling her eyes. The brass had told her there would be a driver waiting for her at the Pentagon – where she'd be beamed over with the latest technology installed here at Jack's – and she would have to gather her dress blues and go over the files containing her possible reassignments before her meeting tomorrow.

Relinquishing his hold on her, Jack stepped back. "You have the keys I gave you?"

"Right there," Sam pointed at the side pocket of her bag to indicate their location. She was still a bit uncomfortable to be spending time in his house without him being around. But as Jack had said, it was  _their_  house – or would be after the wedding. Then again, she was pretty sure she'd miss him and the kids like crazy so it would probably be nice to be at least surrounded by their stuff and sleeping in Jack's bed. "Where are the kids?"

"In the backyard," he gestured towards the window. "I think they needed some fresh air after being stuck on a spaceship for a few hours."

She chuckled, nodding her head in agreement. "Yeah, I certainly don't mind getting out of there. Thor already offered to shield the medical bay for my next checkup, hopefully that will prevent me getting sick again from all the naquadah."

"When did he do that?" Jack asked, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

"When you were sending the message about the wedding to Teal'c and my Dad," Sam explained, smiling at the prospect of their marriage. They had agreed to get married in nine days, on Saturday despite what the brass had to tell her in her meeting tomorrow. Originally they'd hoped to have a little more time, but when they had talked it over she realized neither wanted a big fancy wedding just a close gathering with loved ones. It wasn't like they could invite a lot of people anyway, just those they could trust not to tell anyone yet. Although the truth was bound to come out eventually with her pregnancy….

"Ah," he said, understanding. "Well, I'm sure Teal'c will be here in time, not too sure about Dad though."

Sam nodded, looking down at the floor. "I know," she sighed, "he said he would try to get here but there's a good chance he won't even get the message in time."

"I'll let Ilse, Matt and Daniel know about the date," Jack told her, not knowing what he could say to reassure her. He knew Jacob would do everything in his power to get here  _if_  he got the message in time.

"I'll call Cassie and General Hammond."

Grabbing her bag to carry it downstairs to the basement, Jack stopped to look at her. "What about Mark?"

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Sam rolled her eyes. "I don't know… I'd like him to be there but he hasn't shown any interest in our," she gestured between them, "engagement since Christmas. This time I won't make the first step; it's what I always do when we have an argument and it's what he and even Dad expect from me. To just get over it, apologize and ask for forgiveness, even if I wasn't the one in the wrong – I'm done playing that role."

"He  _is_  your brother, Sam," Jack said cautiously. Sure, he wasn't happy with the way Mark had acted towards Sam, but he also knew that Sam loved her brother very much and that it would mean a lot to her for him to be there, despite their differences.

"I don't care," she argued, shaking her head. "If he wants to be like this, then so be it."

He sighed, dragging his free hand through his hair. "Sam, c'mon, we both know how much family means to you-"

"You, Daniel and Teal'c have been more of a family to me than Mark ever has," she replied in a soft tone. "Daniel and Teal'c are closer to me than my blood-related brother. When someone asks me about siblings or my brother, I think of them first before realizing they are talking about Mark, did you know that?"

Jack shook his head and threw his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close. "Nope, I didn't. The offer still stands, ya know?" He mumbled in her hair, pressing a kiss against her temple.

"What offer?" Sam frowned for a moment, before understanding dawned on her. "Oh! No, I don't want you to go talk to him, even if you take Daniel with you. Mark is the one who was out of line and if he wants to make up then he should make the first step. Besides, you're way too busy to take time off to visit him."

"I'm never too busy if it concerns you, Carter," he assured her, nuzzling her hair. "Daniel and I will go talk to him. Hell, we can all go if it makes you more comfortable."

"Jack-"

"Ack!" He glared at her. "I know you feel crap about this situation with Mark and it's partly my fault, really. Don't try to deny that you would want him at the wedding, because I don't believe it."

Relenting, Sam nodded. "Okay, fine, we'll talk about it later. I've got to say goodbye to the kids now."


	20. The Brass

“Oh, well it is a bit short notice,” Ilse replied, her fingers fiddling with the cord of the phone on her desk. “Then again, you said it probably would be-”

 _“The brass called a meeting with Carter and we want to get married before her reassignment starts_ ,” Jack explained impatiently.

“I know, I get that… I do,” she reassured him. “I’ll clear my schedule. I’m already supposed to go abroad next week for that appointment about the Goa'uld item one of my clients has,” Ilse rattled off as she was looking at her schedule. “I only have meetings on Thursday and Friday, which I can probably reschedule. So, yes, I’ll be there for your wedding.”

_“Excellent!”_

She nodded pensively as she checked the entire week. “I just don’t know if Matt is going to make it, because he’s busy with an exposition in London next week.”

_“Ah, okay. Well, I’d like him to be there but I can understand…”_

“I’ll get back to you on that, okay?”

 _“Sure. Besides, if he can’t make it there’s more cake for me_ ,” Jack quipped.

Ilse chuckled, rolling her eyes at his antics – knowing he couldn’t see her do it – as she jotted it down in her schedule. “Of course, cake… very important.”

 _“It is_ ,” he mockingly argued.

“Was there anything else?”

_“I ah… ah, I was wondering if you could pick up the kids for me?”_

She frowned at the phone. “When?”

_“Today?”_

“You need me to pick up the kids today?” Ilse asked in a disbelieving tone. “Why?”

Jack's sigh came through loud and clear and she could just imagine him dragging his hand through his hair. “ _The President ordered me to DC for a meeting and I can still drop them off at school before I have to go. Otherwise, I’ll have to take them with me and dump them at the daycare center.”_

“They hate the Pentagon’s daycare center,” she replied automatically. “Fine, I’ll cancel my two o’clock appointment so I can drive over there and pick them up after school. It’s about an hour drive if I’m lucky so I should be there in time. Just make sure they stay at school for lunch and tell them I’ll pick them up. When will you be back?”

_“Depends on today’s meeting, I don’t know yet.”_

Ilse sighed as she leaned back in her chair. This wasn’t how she had pictured her day or the last day before the weekend. “All right, I’ll take them back to my apartment for the weekend – don’t forget to pack them a bag and drop it off at the school.”

_“I won’t, you’re the best!”_

“Don’t I know it,” she mumbled.

_“Aw, c’mon, you know you love them. They love to spend time with you, Matt and Sebastian and Simone.”_

Rubbing her nose, Ilse grimaced a bit. “I know, I don’t mind taking care of them… it’s just that the apartment isn’t that big, you know? And you do realize you’re leaving me to spend the weekend with a five-year old, two four-year olds, a two-year old and a six month old baby?”

_“Don’t forget Matt!”_

“He’s like a big baby some times,” she groaned. “And his sister is insisting that he come over this weekend… well, at least I’ll have a good excuse for not going over to her house.”

 _“See, this is a win-win situation!”_ Jack's chuckle let her know that he was immensely smug with himself for getting her to take care of his kids at the very last minute.

“Whatever,” Ilse replied tiredly. “What a way to start my day… Anyway, I should get going if I’m not going to be late to pick up your kids today. Good luck in DC and call me when you know more.”

_“I will, thank you Ilse.”_

“Don’t mention it,” she huffed, before disconnecting. Slowly, she got up from her leather chair and walked towards the kitchen. “Hi,” she greeted her husband, who was sipping his coffee.

Matt smiled at her and waved his hand towards her robe. “I thought you were in the bathroom.”

“I got a cup of tea,” Ilse told him as she walked over to the electric water boiler and turned it on for her second cup, “when I heard the phone.”

“Oh, you came from your office?”

She nodded an affirmative as she stretched her tall frame. “Yeah, it was Jack… guess what? I got myself on babysitting duty for the weekend.”

“The kids are coming over?” Matt asked, smiling. “Maybe that means we don’t have to go over to my sister’s house… it’s a good excuse, isn’t it?”

“No, _I_ don’t have to go over. I’m sure she won’t accept my nieces and nephew as your excuse.”

He got up and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Well, while you’re watching Jack's kids I’ll have to watch ours, right?”

“Hey, she’s your sister,” Ilse replied, grinning. “Anyway, that’s not the most important thing; Jack and Sam are getting married Saturday!”

“Tomorrow?”

“No, next week. We _are_ invited, you know.”

Matt stopped nuzzling her neck when he went over next week’s schedule in his head. “I’m in London on Saturday, at my exposition.”

“I know, I told Jack,” she reassured him, patting the arm he had across her stomach. “If you can just try to be there at the wedding… I mean, it’s the only time Jack is ever going to get married and he has waited a long time for Sam. They’re family, it’s important to them, to me.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” he sighed and turned around as the water for his wife’s tea was done. “I thought it would be a few more weeks. Didn’t Cassie say that Sam hardly ever took any downtime? I imagined she would have a lot left and would use it now.”

Ilse watched him making her tea as she sat down in a chair. “Jack said the brass called for a meeting with Sam, which is probably about her reassignment. They’re anxious to have her genius mind back at work, apparently. And they want to get married before she’s reassigned, otherwise Jack will probably end up being her CO again.”

“And that is bad?” Matt asked as he placed her cup on the table and took a seat across from her.

“Yeah,” she said slowly. “Why do you think it took them this long to begin with? They’ve been in the same chain of command since they met, with him being her CO. It’s against the rules, fraternizing with a senior officer….”

“Oh,” he nodded in understanding. “I did hear something about that, but wouldn’t they make an exception after all these years of them working together? Daniel said that there is no way for Sam to work anywhere else in her area of expertise without Jack being her commanding officer.”

“That’s right.” Ilse watched him as he processed this information while she helped herself to some breakfast. “Why, was there any other reason you thought they’d moved up the date?” She recognized that look on his face every time and it usually did not reassure her in any way.

Matt shrugged as he stared at the table, avoiding her inquiring gaze. “No, I guess not.”

“You guess not?” She reiterated. “Tell me what you were thinking, Matt.”

“Well,” he sighed dramatically as he leaned back in his chair. “It’s just something the girls said when I was walking the dog with them on New Year’s.”

Ilse leaned forward on the table, her interest piqued. “Really? Do tell, love.”

“They seemed to think that… well, that Sam was pregnant.”

“Pregnant?”

“Yes,” he nodded slowly.

“Sam?”

Rolling his eyes, Matt grabbed her hands. “Yes, Sam pregnant. They were talking about her having a baby in her tummy and that they could… I don’t know, sense it or something.”

“Oh!” Realization slowly dawned on Ilse. Jack had told her about the Asgard and that gene he and the kids had that was apparently very rare and important. “Well, I did suspect something-”

“Of course you did.”

“No, really, I did. Sam was acting a bit strange when we were there. Queasy, tired, no alcohol, protective hand over her belly… it looked _very_ familiar,” she elaborated.

He grimaced as he thought about it. “But they haven’t been together that long, have they?”

“It only takes one time,” Ilse said matter-of-factly before taking a sip of tea.

“I _know_ that,” he said in a placating tone, “but they weren’t together yet at Sinterklaas, she was still abroad then right?”

She thought for a moment before answering. “Yes, I think she got back in the beginning of December and Jack went back to DC in the second week.”

“And then she had to wait for her divorce to come through, right?”

“Well, nothing says she _had_ to wait before the paperwork came through,” Ilse replied mischievously.

“You don’t think they waited?”

Sulking, Ilse brought her now empty cup to the sink. “Nah, Jack would want to wait,” she begrudgingly admitted. “He’s honorable like that… he isn’t a manwhore like you,” she jokingly added, winking at him.

“Like I used to be,” Matt corrected her, “before I met you. Okay, before we really got together,” he added when she raised a delicate eyebrow. “Anyway, even if they did, how could they have known?”

“That she was pregnant, you mean? The kids?”

“Or Sam herself,” he shrugged.

Ilse shrugged too, although she did have an idea of some of the alien technology that was out there. “Who knows? Maybe she was simply hoping or perhaps she just knew.”

“Because women just know?”

“Sometimes,” she replied.

* * *

 

“Crap,” Sam muttered under her breath as she righted her dress blues and stepped out of the elevator. With long strides she followed the aid through the corridors and into the conference room. She felt horrible, jetlagged – beamlagged – and had been reading files for hours yesterday when she had finally settled into Jack's house in DC until she fell asleep. This morning, she’d been even more exhausted when she woke up than when she had settled onto Jack's large and comfy bed yesterday. If that wasn’t bad enough, she’d torn a ladder in her stockings and her dress blues felt a bit tighter around her waist than usual. Just what she needed, she thought as she snapped a perfect salute in front of the brass.

“Colonel Carter, it’s good to see you again,” President Henry Hayes greeted her with a friendly smile.

“Colonel Carter,” the other men replied.

“Sirs,” she replied curtly, a bit nervous and slightly reminded of that awful, yet amazing day over eleven years ago when she had been late for a briefing at Cheyenne Mountain. At least this time she was two minutes early.

“At ease, Colonel. I have to say, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” Norton Schwartz said.

Sam nodded and smiled slightly at the new Chief of Staff. “Yes Sir, thank you, Sir.”

Henry chuckled and waved towards a chair. “Relax Colonel, no need to be nervous. It’s just us, a bunch of military men, no evil aliens or anything.”

“Of course, Sir,” she replied politely, on the inside wishing that she could switch them for a bunch of Goa'uld or something.

“Where is General O'Neill?” Norton asked, frowning as he looked around the room. He was a military man, a punctual man and although he respected O'Neill, he still needed some time to… Well, according to his wife he needed to warm up to him a bit. Apparently, five months wasn’t long enough. Of course, it didn’t help that most of his predecessors had been liked by the man while O'Neill didn’t seem to like him very much. Nor did it help that Hayes counted him as a friend.

“Just arriving, Sir,” Jack replied as he stepped through the doors. “Right on time,” he smirked when he saw the man cast an irritable glance at the clock.

Sam bit the inside of her cheek when he stepped in to prevent herself from starting to gape at him. Jack looked so handsome in his dress blues and she’d been dreaming about him last night, not knowing when they would see each other again after spending a blissful month with him and the kids abroad. She’d been secretly hoping that he would be recalled to Washington DC or that he would follow her here some time next week, but she hadn’t known for sure. Hadn’t wanted to mess up the children’s routine. Of course, he was going to be here before next week’s weekend, when they were going to get married! “Sir,” she greeted him, surprised that her voice sounded so steady and professional while she was shaking on the inside.

“You’re late, Jack,” Henry grinned and handed him a folder.

“Had to drop off the kids at school before catching my beam over here,” he replied, shrugging casually feeling anything but. He was feeling the urge to stare at Sam, his _fiancée,_ but knew he really shouldn’t. Not now, anyway. Maybe afterwards he could appreciate those fine looking dress blues on her. Maybe take them off.

Norton let out an exasperated sigh as he opened the file in front of him. “Well, gentlemen, let’s begin… ah, and Colonel Carter of course,” he stammered slightly, feeling himself flush when everyone was looking at him. He didn’t deal with a lot of women in his line of work, not since he was promoted to Chief of Staff and there simply weren’t that many high ranking women in the Air Force.

“Yes,” Henry winked at the young colonel across from him, enjoying the slight moment of awkwardness from the usually rather cool Norton Schwartz. “As we all know, we’re here to discuss Colonel Carter’s new assignment. I take it everyone is familiar with her background and her most recent assignments? At the moment she is…”

* * *

Sam snapped her final salute for the day and patiently walked out of the conference room, almost sensing Jack behind her as he was still talking to the President. She did not want to do anything inappropriate or rouse anyone’s suspicion so she simply walked through the corridors in a slow pace, waiting for him to catch up with her.

“Carter,” Jack said in a low tone as he walked up behind her, his strides much longer in his haste to catch up. “Congratulations with your new reassignment, Colonel,” he added when they continued to walk through the corridors.

Falling in step with him, she gave him a bright smile. “Thank you, Sir.”

“ _Phoenix_ , huh? That’s pretty exciting.”

“Yes Sir,” Sam replied, as they rounded the corner and finally ended up outside. Glancing over her shoulder, she realized no one was within earshot and stepped a bit closer. “I didn’t know you were going to be here! You could have warned me,” she hissed at him.

His eyebrows shot up and he raised his hands in a calming gesture. “I didn’t know either. I was called at the last minute by the President.”

“He asked you to come here?”

“Ordered,” he huffed, plucking at an invisible thread of his dress blues.

Pulling out her sunglasses, Sam glared at him before setting them on the bridge of her nose. “You still could’ve called me.”

“It was last minute and you didn’t pick up your cell phone.”

Sheepishly, she padded her pockets only to realize that she’d left her phone in her car. “Right, sorry.”

“It’s okay,” he grinned, putting on his own sunglasses.

“What about the kids?”

“Ilse has probably already picked them up from school and will take care of them this weekend,” he explained.

Giving him a pointed look, Sam raised an eyebrow that peeped out from behind her sunglasses. “You dumped them with your stepsister?”

“I could hardly bring them with me, they were already in school. Last minute,” he reminded her. “Don’t worry about it, she doesn’t mind.”

“She practically lives on the other side of the country,” she argued.

Jack shrugged, gently grasping her elbow to steer her further away. “It’s a small country.”

“She probably already had plans for this weekend.”

“True,” he acknowledged, nodding, “but she seemed very glad to have an excuse to _not_ go to her sister-in-law.”

“Jack,” Sam drawled, still keeping her voice down.

“She’s fine, the kids are fine, we’re fine… oh and did I mention that the President felt sorry for me and my beamlag? So I have the rest of the day off. And I happen to know that you do too, Colonel.”

Gnawing her lip, she sighed and relented. “Did you at least tell her about the wedding?”

“Yeah, she’s clearing her schedule but doesn’t know if Matt can make it since he’s supposed to be in London or something,” Jack replied. “Now, let’s go home and enjoy the rest of our day together!”

“We still have to inform everyone else.”

“Can’t it wait?” Jack whined as he walked them towards his waiting limousine. “You look so hot in those dress blues,” he whispered in her ear as his chauffeur opened the door for her.

Ducking, Sam stepped inside the luxurious interior of the car and scooted over to the other side. “Can’t you be serious for once?”

“Not when I have a hot blonde in dress blues in the back of my car,” he quipped after the door was closed and he had lowered the screen between them and the driver.

“Jack,” she sighed again, exasperated by him and her lack of rest. “We have to make preparations for the wedding.”

“I know,” he admitted, rolling his eyes behind the sunglasses. “I left a message for Daniel yesterday telling him to call me back so that we can plan a little trip to San Diego for next week. That way, we can hopefully invite Mark in time too.”

Looking down at the floor she shrugged. “I don’t know, he’s pretty busy with work and everything. Probably doesn’t even have time to talk to you, let alone come to the wedding.”

“We’ll see,” Jack replied, throwing his arm around her to finally give her a proper greeting.


	21. San Diego

“Next time I’ll take you to a _real_ museum,” Daniel told the three youngsters surrounding him, “one with cultural and historical value.”

“Hey, I resent that,” Jack objected, “the USS Midway Museum _is_ a real museum.”

He rolled his eyes, making the girls giggle. “It’s a Navy aircraft carrier.”

“Still, it’s a museum!”

“Guys, please,” Sam exclaimed, rubbing her forehead. She wasn’t feeling too hot today, despite the warm temperatures here in San Diego. Her nausea had somewhat subsided but she was tired and cranky. The prospect of Jack and Mark meeting again wasn’t helping her moodiness at all and her hormones were all over the place. She hadn't wanted to go, but Daniel and Jack had insisted. Three more days until the wedding and Ryan, her nephew, had been kind enough to tell her his father had the day off today so Jack had made the choice for her, booking a flight for the two of them, the kids and Daniel. Now, here they were in San Diego, ready to confront her brother. She had been a nervous wreck all day so Jack had suggested to take the kids out before their meeting with Mark and they had ended up at the museum. “Yes, it’s a museum, but there are no archeological findings or anything.”

“Exactly!” Both Daniel and Jack replied.

“With you as their father, I feel the responsibility to teach them about history is up to me,” Daniel quipped, grinning. “So, next time I will show them a real museum instead of an extension of your job.”

Slinging his right arm around Sam's shoulders, Jack pulled her against him, Milou still holding his left hand. “For crying out loud, Daniel, it’s the _Navy_! We,” he gestured between himself and his fiancée with his right hand hanging over her right shoulder, “are in the _Air Force_. It’s completely different.”

“It’s _military_ ,” he replied disapprovingly. “Our ancestors are important, our history is important; we all try to learn from past mistakes, try to understand stuff about ourselves by looking at those that came before us and-”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jack made a dismissive gesture with a hand. “They’re too young to check out those dead people and all that old crap. Let them be kids for a while before you suck the life out of them.”

“Will there be mummies, Daniel?” Nathan asked, excited at the prospect as he grabbed his new _USS Midway_ baseball cap and planted it backwards on his head.

“Mummies, yes!” Daniel grinned at the boy, glad that someone seemed eager to learn new things. He looked down at Maddy, wearing her new flight jacket as she tugged on his hand. “Yes, Maddy?”

“Do you live in a museum?”

He frowned in confusion, wondering what the hell Jack had been telling these kids. At the moment, he didn’t even have an apartment. He was still living in Sam's house in Colorado Springs since she had hardly been there after coming back from commanding Atlantis for two years and immediately getting engaged to Jack. “No, of course not. Why are you asking?”

“Daddy always says you have lots of old crap in your apartment, like a museum,” she shrugged, looking at him before casting a questioning glance at her father.

“Geez, thanks Jack,” Daniel muttered, scowling at him.

“Don’t mention it,” he grinned at his friend.

“While I hate to ruin your fun,” Sam spoke up, disentangling herself from Jack, “we have to get going if you guys still want to meet up with Mark.”

Gesturing towards the parking lot behind them, where they had parked the car, Jack stepped aside. “Well then, let’s go,” he smirked, trying to ease her nerves. Casting one last glance at the museum across the water, he turned around and walked towards the hired car.

“Come on, kids,” Daniel prompted the children, making his way over to Jack with each twin holding one of his hands.

“What’s wrong, Mommy?” Milou asked, still standing in the same spot. “Don’t you want to see Uncle Mark?”

“Ah, I’m just a bit nervous, I guess,” Sam replied, ruffling the girl’s blond locks.

She cocked her head and peered up at her new mother. “Why?”

“Do you remember when I came home early with Christmas?”

Milou bobbed her head enthusiastically, recalling how happy and surprised Daddy had been when she got home. He had told them it would be a few more days until she would be back but then she’d shown up anyway. “We watched Scrooge in our pajamas.”

“Yeah, we did,” Sam chuckled, reminded of Jack's ‘tradition’. “Anyway, I was supposed to stay with my brother Mark for a few more days.”

“I’m glad you didn’t,” she replied shyly, looking down at her shoes.

Sam smiled, feeling her heart swell with love for the little girl all over again. “Me too,” she admitted, hugging the youngster. “But I left because Mark and I had a fight and we haven’t talked since, so I’m a bit nervous about it.”

“You didn’t kiss and make up?” Milou asked, gasping in shock.

“Er, no we didn’t,” she frowned.

“But Daddy always says you shouldn’t go to bed angry,” she explained, remembering some of the times she and her siblings were fighting. “That you shouldn’t stay mad at those you love. Family is the most important thing in the world.”

“I know,” Sam said softly, once again surprised with the girl’s wise words. Which she had apparently learned from Jack, she thought to herself, never having expected him to say something like that. She knew he thought family was important and that he had a lot of love to give, even if he didn’t show it nor talked feelings. But for him to say such a thing aloud, teach it to his kids…

Tugging on her Mommy’s shirt, Milou tried to get her attention. “What did you fight over? Maybe it’s not so bad… Nate never stays mad long when Maddy breaks his toys.”

“It’s complicated, sweetie,” she sighed. “Grown up stuff.”

“Like what?”

Chuckling, Sam shook her head. She sure was persistent. “Mark wasn’t very happy that your Daddy and I are getting married so soon and thought he wasn’t right for me,” she tried to explain.

“But Daddy loves you, we love you,” Milou replied, puzzled.

“I know that and I love you too, but Mark doesn’t really know Daddy; they only met once a few years ago and didn’t really talk.”

“Is Uncle Mark coming to the wedding?”

“I don’t know, sweetie. That’s why we’re going to see him today.”

Milou nodded pensively, before reaching out her hand. “What about the baby?” She asked, splaying her fingers on Mommy’s belly.

“What?” Sam gasped, looking down at her own belly. She could already feel the familiar heat forming in her stomach where her hand touched her shirt. How could Milou possibly know about the baby? She and Jack hadn’t told anyone yet!

“The baby,” she repeated innocently. “Does Uncle Mark know about the baby?”

“No!” She almost yelled, horrified at the idea of Mark knowing she was pregnant already. Then he would only be more convinced about her having an affair with Jack during her marriage with Pete. “Milou, sweetie, how do you know about the baby?”

She shrugged, letting her hand drop. “We just know; we can sense him.”

“We?” Sam asked, clearing her throat awkwardly.

“Nathan, Maddy and me,” Milou replied, blinking at her. “Why doesn’t Uncle Mark know?”

“Ah, I-I, er… can’t tell him yet, honey,” she stammered slightly, still trying to process this turn of events.

“Why not? Doesn’t he like kids?” Milou asked in a small voice. She liked spending time with family and had been looking forward to meeting her new Uncle Mark.

Sam sighed, again rubbing her forehead in frustration. Her head felt like it was going to burst soon and she really couldn’t handle this right now. “No, he likes children. It’s just that… we can’t tell anyone yet, okay? Daddy and I will tell you when the time is right, for now just keep quiet, honey.”

“Okay,” she nodded seriously.

“Are you girls coming or what?” Jack yelled from the car.

Sam rolled her eyes at his impatience and placed her hand on Milou's back. “Better not keep him waiting.”

“Coming Daddy,” Milou cried as she spurted off in his direction.

Watching the five-year old run over the grass, the wind whipping her hair around her face, Sam smiled and followed her, jogging over to the car in which the others were already seated.

* * *

 

Mark glanced in his rearview mirror and, seeing that both his teenagers were still engrossed with their iPods, slightly leaned to his wife. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“Of course, honey,” Laura stated confidently, plastering a fake smile on her face. Her husband was suspicious, she knew it, but she was also aware of the fact that this was probably the only way he would ever talk to his sister again. At first, she had been appalled by Ryan’s idea of luring Mark into a meeting with Samantha but when she had brought up the subject of her sister-in-law and her hasty retreat on Christmas her husband had huffed that he didn’t want to talk about her. It had taken Mark, Sam and Jacob years to reconcile after their estrangement and there had been a slight change in her husband after that; he was happier. Having more contact with his sister had been good for both of them and hearing his father talk about how proud he was of him, made Mark grin like a little boy. Probably because when it came to his father, he was still that little boy who hardly ever saw his Dad and subconsciously yearned for his approval. “We haven’t been to the park in ages.”

“I know,” he replied under his breath, “that’s my point.”

“What are you talking about?” She smiled sweetly and patted his knee. “Everything’s going to be fine.”

“Laura, I can’t even remember the last time we all went out as a family,” he jerked his head towards the back seat where both kids were bobbing their heads to a beat only audible to themselves. “Certainly not the park.”

Grabbing her sunglasses, Laura placed them on the bridge of her nose under the guise of the low sun shining in her eyes. In truth, she was a horrible liar and she couldn’t remember the last time she had lied to her husband and she had certainly never lied about something like this! “There is nothing wrong with the park, dear. It’s lovely outside and the kids are starting to resemble that vampire from the movie that came out a few months ago. You know, the one about that Cullen boy from those books Amy loves.”

Mark rolled his eyes before casting a glance at Amy and Ryan; they certainly looked a bit pale for people who lived in San Diego. “That’s because they never leave their room except for school, shopping or a LAN party,” he hissed. “They probably don’t even know what to do with all that grass outside. Do they even own sunglasses?”

“Hush,” she scolded him gently, afraid the kids might overhear or even just pretend to be listening to their music while secretly eavesdropping. “Oh look, we can park the car there,” Laura pointed at an empty spot on the upcoming parking lot.

Sighing, he did as told and signaled as he changed lanes and headed for the parking lot. “And… we’re here,” Mark exclaimed, trying to be cheerful as his wife gave him one of her looks. He knew what that meant; he’d better behave like a loving father today because he was always working such long hours that he hardly got to spend time with his family – they’d had this argument for years now. “Ryan, Amy!” He yelled as he turned in his seat and made a gesture telling them to unplug the music.

“Geez Dad, chill,” Ryan huffed as he pulled his headphones off, released the seatbelt and opened the car door. “I thought we were going to hang out, relax,” he shrugged lazily. “If I’d known you were going to be like this,” he muttered, rolling his eyes for effect. Of course he was lying, he had been planning this with his Aunt Sam – who rocked in his opinion. Good for her for telling his Dad off when he’d been yelling at her before seven in the morning! His father had his panties in a twist because Aunt Sam wasn’t going to get back together with that loser cop friend of his. _Thank_ God, Ryan thought to himself. He’d been horrified when he learned about Aunt Sam dating that Pete guy. Was his father totally out of it, hooking those two up? Then Aunt Sam must have had some mental breakdown because she was getting married to that… potato head. Luckily, they hadn’t lasted very long because it was simply gross to see them together at holidays and birthday parties. Ryan had been psyched when Aunt Sam told them about the divorce.

However, after his aunt had gotten stationed abroad that lousy cop had come around the house a lot and even moved to San Diego, to a house a few blocks from where they were living! God, his Dad had been excited to see his old pal again and horrors of horrors, that dude had told them he and Aunt Sam had gotten back together! They were giving it another shot! Then, like two months ago Aunt Sam had finally gotten back to the USA and said that loser had been lying all along! So, she wasn’t crazy, the cop was! Then they’d finally gotten a divorce, which of course had resulted in his Dad and Aunt Sam getting into another argument. Luckily, they made up and she came over for Christmas and they had an awesome family dinner, even Grandpa had joined them! The next thing he knew, he woke up – _way_ too early – from his father shouting and screaming, before silence finally descended upon the house and the front door slammed – twice.

Apparently, his aunt had gotten engaged to some awesome Air Force general and of course his father didn’t approve. The guy couldn’t be that bad, considering Grandpa had left too, defending Aunt Sam. Why couldn’t his Dad be more like them? The entire Carter clan was awesome, everyone except for _his_ Dad. Too bad Aunt Sam didn’t have any kids. Maybe she’d want to adopt him? At least then he’d have someone support him when he was going to join the Academy. Oh yeah, he’d decided to join up too since Christmas. Not that his Dad knew yet.

Ryan wanted to meet this ‘old guy who was taking advantage of his favorite aunt’ – according to his father – and knew that his life was positively over if Dad didn’t make up with Aunt Sam and Grandpa. So, he had called up Aunt Sam recently and they’d started texting – yeah, she was cool like that, his own Dad wouldn’t even know _how_ to text – and had come up with this plan. Sneaking a glance at his watch, Ryan hoped everything was going as planned and that she would already be here somewhere. It was kind of awesome, really, because this was practically like his first mission. Oh yeah, his aunt was so cool.

“Ryan,” Laura admonished him as she too got out of the car, trying to send a loving vibe to her husband. “Just behave kids, we’re going to enjoy a sunny day in the park and there will be no computers, chatting on the phone with friends or iPads!”

“Yeah, if only,” Ryan exclaimed. “It’s an iP _o_ d, Mom. It will be like another year before an iP _a_ d is going to be on the market.”

“Not that we’d get one,” Amy mumbled, looking at her brother. “I’m sure you could really use one for work stuff, Dad,” she piped up, smiling her sweetest smile as her mother grabbed the picnic basket she had brought from the car. “You know, you should get one once they’re here. Or no, two actually. So that Ryan and I can show you how to use yours.”

“Sure sweetie,” Mark replied, patting her head. “In your dreams.”

“It was worth a try,” she grumbled, scowling at the floor. “So, where are we going?”

“This way,” Laura said hastily, grabbing her husband’s arm with her free hand. “Come on, everyone. This is fun, we haven’t been out like this in ages.”

“Yeah right, whatever,” Ryan remarked, hanging back from his folks before following them in a sedate pace.

Sighing, Amy waited for her brother to catch up and slapped his arm. “What are you doing?” She hissed, glaring at him. “I thought you _wanted_ this, to get Dad and Aunt Sam to talk!”

“I do,” he said through gritted teeth, pushing her roughly out of his personal space. “But Dad is going to be suspicious if I’m just going to go along. You and I both know we wouldn’t want to be caught dead in the park with our parents on a free afternoon! God, I’m just lucky that the guys have detention and have to spend the entire afternoon at school.”

“I know,” she rolled her eyes, realizing he was right. “I’m so glad you picked this park, because the other girls usually don’t go to this part of town.”

Ryan smirked, ruffling her hair before jumping out of her range. “Yeah, wouldn’t want the big kids to see you here, huh?”

“Shut up,” she snapped, stomping after their parents as she tried undo the damage his claw-like hands had done. “Why did I let you talk me into this again? Dad is going to be _so_ freaking mad when he finds out!”

“Because,” he exclaimed, waving his hands at her. “Remember, you like Aunt Sam.”

“Yeah, but I like my spare time being mine too.”

He huffed, rolling his eyes at her and grabbed the baseball cap he had stuffed in his back pocket before they left. Smoothing down his blond hair, Ryan put the cap on and grabbed her wrist. “Amy, just think of it like this; if Aunt Sam and Grandpa are going to be involved in our lives, I will have more chance of joining the Academy – so I’ll be out of your hair in less than two years.”

“Hmm, sounds good,” she admitted. “Still, Dad could so ruin my life for this. If he does,” she glared at her brother, “I’m going to tell him this was all your idea and that you forced me. _And_ that you want to join the AF!”

“Whatever… remember what Aunt Sam said about this guy at dinner? He spends a couple of months a year in Europe; if he marries Aunt Sam then we’re family too. Think of the opportunities!”

“Fine,” Amy relented, already planning her next vacation abroad. When would her parents let her go spend the summer in Europe with Aunt Sam and her new husband? Maybe next year or the year after that she could bring some friends?

Mark glanced over his shoulder and stopped walking. “Amy, Ryan, hurry up, it’s a beautiful day and if we keep up this pace all the good spots will be taken!” He turned to his wife and gave her a small smile. “For a minute there I thought they had run off somewhere with their cell phones and laptops.”

“Don’t be silly,” Laura chuckled nervously, her eyes scanning the park for Samantha’s face. “They’re teenagers, they’re supposed to be grumpy and moody. Honestly, they loved this idea,” she said truthfully, wondering if God would think any less of her after today. She had always been a good person; had never cheated, hardly ever lied, married her high school sweetheart and had only ever had sex with her husband. She volunteered in the retirement home for goodness sake! Surely, He couldn’t be angry with her for her scheming today? It was all for the greater good, after all. “Let’s go over there.”

“Okay,” Mark replied, beckoning the kids over with his free hand. “Oh, just a minute,” he mumbled as his cell phone started vibrating in his pocket.

“Dad, you said no phones!” Amy cried when he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.

Looking at his wife, he shrugged helplessly. “It’s work.”

“No, it’s your day off,” Laura replied adamantly, snatching the phone and turning it off. “I can’t believe you would answer a call from work on your day off, when we’re all here for a day out and yet you refuse to pick up the phone when your sister calls. Or call her, since you were the one who scared her off in the first place!”

“Honey,” he said in a placating manner, holding out his hand for the phone. “You know Sam and I aren’t talking right now. This call could be important.”

Stuffing the phone in her own pocket she shook her head. “I’ll be keeping that one, the world won’t end if you don’t answer a work call you know. Especially not on your day off.”

* * *

 

“Sam, relax, will ya?” Jack sighed, patting her knee. It was true that he wasn’t looking forward to confronting Mark, knowing how upset the younger Carter still was about Sam divorcing his – controlling and suspicious – friend. But her behavior was actually getting to him, making him nervous too! That wouldn’t do, not for General O'Neill director of Homeworld Security! He didn’t get nervous for such things… Hell, he’d faced Jacob who was carrying around a two-thousand-year old symbiote in his head! One that knew all about various torturing methods. He’d been a bit nervous about Jacob's reaction, but that was understandable considering everything. But Mark Carter? It was _just_ Sam's little brother, no need to get nervous.

“Sorry,” she gave him a little embarrassed smile, trying to still her foot from tapping nervously on the grass floor. Wringing her hands in her lap, she looked around the park once more. Daniel was playing with the kids, something she hadn’t expected to see. He was always friendly towards children but she couldn’t remember him actually chasing after them or pushing them on the swings. “Ryan texted me saying he, Amy and Laura would be here with Mark,” Sam said, once again peering around. “What if they’re not coming?”

“They’ll be here,” he replied patiently. “If your nephew went through all his trouble to arrange this meeting, then they’ll be here.”

“He wants to join the Air Force, you know?” Sam asked, smiling. “Mark hates the military and yet his only son wants to join.”

Jack raised his brows in surprise. “Oy, that’s got to cause some trouble at home.”

“I don’t think he’s told Mark yet.”

“Smart kid,” he grinned, squeezing her knee. “What time did you say they’d be here?”

“Fourteen hundred hours,” she replied automatically. “Only two more minutes…”

Checking his watch, Jack was surprised she was right – and yet he wasn’t, this was Carter after all. “They’ll be here,” he repeated, stretching his legs in front of him. The picnic bench was a bit uncomfortable, but he’d rather be sitting here than on the grass.

“Oh,” Sam gasped, her hand gripping his wrist. “There they are!”

Jack almost yelped, afraid she was cutting off circulation to his _hand_ before scanning the area. “I take it the woman who’s nervously clinging to his arm is his wife?”

“Laura,” she confirmed, making eye contact with her sister-in-law before rising from the bench. Feeling nervous herself, Sam only broke eye contact to glance at Jack next to her, realizing Mark hadn’t noticed them – yet.

“Thank you,” Jack muttered as he too stood, rubbing his wrist after she’d released it from her dead grip. “You know, my hand is pretty important. Even more so now that I’m an important general; how would I sign paperwork without it?”

Despite her nerves, Sam snorted at that. “You’re such a big kid,” she tried scolding him, but her smile wasn’t really helping in that department. She knew his pain threshold wasn’t really that low, how else would he have survived years in Black Ops? Or the last decade or so since being pulled from retirement. Still, she loved him for trying to break the tension and make her laugh.

“I thought you liked kids,” he whined, reaching up to brush a stray lock behind her ear. Spotting movement from his left, Jack cleared his throat and straightened subconsciously. “Oy, here they come.”

Taking a step forward, Sam took a deep breath. “Hello Laura, Mark.”

“Hello Sam,” Laura greeted warmly, keeping her husband’s arm in a death grip to prevent him from stalking off.

“Well, this is a coincidence,” Mark huffed, glaring at his wife and sister accusingly. He knew something had been off about this trip to the park. Laura had been fidgety all day and couldn’t really hold his gaze, which had him suspicious but then he had blamed himself for being paranoid from working so hard all day every day. And the kids… Well, they were being kids, so he must have been imagining it, right?

“Don’t be fooled,” Jack quipped, “there’s no such thing as coincidences. This was a well-thought out plan, executed with military precision!”

Sam heard an “Oh boy” behind her from Daniel at Jack's words and winced herself. It was so typical of him to say something like _that_ to her brother who _hated_ the Air Force – or anything military for that matter – with a passion! “Mark,” she pleaded, taking another step, “we need to talk.”

“Like hell we do,” he muttered, turning on his heels as he wrangled out of his wife’s grip.

“Dad, come on,” Ryan exclaimed. “You and Aunt Sam need to work this out,” he added, blocking his way.

Rolling his eyes, Mark threw up his hands. “Oh great, now you’re ganging up on me? Come on, Sammie, you’re supposed to be the smart one; there’s a reason I’ve been ignoring your calls.”

“Look,” she said calmly, ignoring his little jab, “we were both upset and said some things in the heat of the moment. I understand that you-”

“You really think that’s what it was?” He asked, stepping towards her. “I meant it, Sammie, every word. You’re throwing your life away and for what, huh? He,” Mark pointed at the older man standing behind her, “is taking advantage of you and you’re only too happy to oblige! When he says jump, you don’t ask how high; you jump as high as you can, the best that you can,” Mark accused her, pointing his finger at her chest. “And apparently,” he continued in a lower tone, “when he says take your clothes off and spread-”

“All right! We’re going to have a little talk,” Jack exclaimed, grabbing his future brother-in-law by his collar and almost dragging him over the grass to a strategic corner, effectively interrupting him.

“Oh boy,” Daniel said again, as he watched his friend drag Sam's brother across the field. “Sam?” he asked, gently placing a hand on her shoulder.

Still stunned that her brother would say something like that – to even _think_ it – she gaped a few times, before looking at everyone around her. “Sorry, I’m just a little…”

“Yeah,” he nodded in understanding, stunned too at Mark’s accusation.

“Oh lord,” Laura gasped, her hand on her heart in shock of the words that had just come out of her husband’s mouth. “I’m so sorry, Samantha, I had no idea-”

“It’s okay,” she said wryly. This wasn’t the first time she and Mark had a fight and she should have been used to his behavior by now. Then again, the last time their fights had been this huge was when they were still living at home.

“So, is he gonna kick his ass?” Ryan asked, stepping from behind his mother to greet his aunt. “Because, that’s cool with me, Aunt Sam. Dad was way rude to you,” he added, giving her a quick hug.

 Shocked at the men in her family, Laura grabbed his arm. “Ryan, it’s not all right. And he won’t kick your father’s ass,” she said sternly, before looking at Sam and her friend. “Will he?”

“No, he won’t,” Sam sighed tiredly, her headache coming back in full force. “Daniel?”

“Oh, no he won’t,” he affirmed, smiling at Laura. “I’m Daniel Jackson by the way, a friend of Sam and Jack's.”

“Laura Carter and these are my children, Ryan and Amy,” she politely introduced them.

“Daniel,” Sam said again, glaring at him.

Raising his hands, he looked at her. “What?” Seeing her gesture towards Jack and Mark, he shook his head. “No, no, I’m good here.”

“Daniel, go!”

“All right, fine, I’ll go,” he mumbled, frowning as he padded over to the two men.

Giving the rest of her family an apologetic grin, Sam explained. “Damage control. Daniel's our diplomat, that’s why we brought him along.”

“Too bad,” Ryan replied, huffing. “Congrats by the way, Aunt Sam. That guy looks pretty cool,” he grinned, jerking his head towards the older man who was getting in his father’s face.

“Thanks sweetie,” Sam shook her head, smiling slightly.

He shrugged, kicking at the grass. “Yeah, well whatever. Mom, why don’t you put that down.”

“Oh right,” Laura exclaimed, looking at the picnic basket still in her hand. “It’s getting a bit heavy,” she mumbled as she walked over to the bench nearby to set it down.

“What, you actually filled it?” Amy asked incredulous.

Seeing his mother nod her head, Ryan snorted. “Come on, Mom, we weren’t actually going to picnic!”

“Well, I know that,” she replied affronted, “but what if your father had looked inside?” Actually, she hadn’t thought of that at all. She had simply told herself she wasn’t doing anything wrong, merely putting together a picnic basket for their family’s outing and just because her husband didn’t know who they were meeting up with didn’t mean she was lying or conniving an evil plan.

Glancing at her watch, Sam realized she should eat something; she had hardly ate lunch because she hadn’t been feeling too hot all day. “What did you bring with you?”

“Are you hungry?” Laura eagerly opened the basket to show her sister-in-law all the goodies she had brought along.

“I guess I could eat something,” she replied, grabbing a sandwich. Looking up, she saw her three kids standing in the same spot they’d been running around with Daniel, alternatively looking at her and Jack. “C’mon kids,” she beckoned them over, trying to muster a smile. She had promised Jack that he could talk to Mark without her interrupting them and she was merely keeping her end of the deal. Then, when he was finished, she would have a good talk with her little brother and set him straight. Maybe, just maybe, she’d still invite him to the wedding if he apologized sincerely to her _and_ Jack.

Laura turned around when she heard Sam call out and her eyes almost bulged when she saw three little rascals running in their direction. One with long blond hair flowing around her face, wearing a flowery dress. A boy with a baseball cap planted backwards on his head, dark blond hair peeping out of the front, wearing dark blue jeans and a _white_ – covered in grass stains – shirt. And a girl wearing a flight jacket – with these temperatures! – similar dark blue jeans and tousled auburn curls on her head. “Kids?”

Sam took a deep breath and started the introductions…

* * *

 

“A little talk?” Mark echoed, slightly out of breath when he was finally feeling solid ground under his feet. “Look I don’t care if you’re some big shot general, but non-military people don’t usually drag people aw-”

“You’re lucky that’s all I did,” Jack spoke through gritted teeth, narrowing his eyes at the man in front of him. “I get that you’re not happy with me, but that doesn’t give you the right to insult Carter like that.”

Quickly taking a step back, Mark indignantly straightened his clothes. “Carter? For God’s sake, can’t you even call the woman who’s been warming your bed by her first name?”

“ _Samantha_ ,” he emphasized her name after taking a deep breath to calm himself, “deserves a hell of a lot more than you’re giving her credit for. What the hell is wrong with you, accusing _your sister_ of having an extramarital affair with her commanding officer on Christmas? Do you know what it took her to come over here back then, to tell you about our engagement? Sam knows how much you despise the Air Force, not to mention how you’re still blaming her for divorcing Shannon.”

“Pete Shanahan,” Mark gruffly corrected him. “You really expect me to believe that nothing happened between the two of you? The ink on their divorce papers had barely dried and Sam was already discussing your relationship with Dad. Pete’s a good guy, he doesn’t deserve-”

Reminding himself that he wanted to do this right, Jack sighed and straightened. “As far as Sam was concerned, their divorce papers had gone through before she went… ah, _abroad_. Your buddy was the one who didn’t follow through and kept up pretense with her family – telling everyone they had reconciled while in truth Shannon didn’t even know how to contact her!”

“Pete wouldn’t do that,” he denied shaking his head.

“Yet, he did. For crying out loud, you were there when Sam saw him again after she got back. You really think a wife wouldn’t keep in touch with her husband during a two-year assignment abroad? Not even to let him know when she would be back? She didn’t even know he had moved to San Diego and certainly hadn’t expected to see him again at your place!”

Mark had to admit – at least to himself – that he was still a bit puzzled about all that. But he really couldn’t imagine his friend pulling a stunt like that. Sam had always been holding back in her relationships but he also couldn’t imagine she would do something like that while being married. Then again, he wouldn’t have expected her – his by-the-book sister – to have an affair, especially not with her commanding officer! Who happened to be at least a decade older. “That’s beside the point,” he huffed.

“Is it?” Jack questioned, raising a brow.

“Yes, I don’t know what you’ve told my sister that makes her think you love her or that you’re going to marry her, but I know all about your kind,” Mark argued passionately. “You think that just because you’re high up the ranks you can snap your fingers and people will do what you say; well, I’m not about to let my sis be your plaything. Sam isn’t like most women, she’s very private, doesn’t open up easily and it will take time before she trusts someone. She’s a military brat and looks up to senior officers, so while she may have some hero worshipping going on don’t fool yourself with thinking that she loves you. And I won’t let you use her for your own pleasures-”

“Whoa there,” he interrupted him, holding up his hand. “I’m not _using_ anyone, here. Look, I get that you don’t like me, you don’t even _know_ me, but I can guarantee you that I would never do anything to hurt Sam. I asked her to marry me because I want to spend the rest of my life with her. As a matter of fact, that’s the reason we came out here today; the wedding is on Saturday and I know Carter would like you to be there, even if you don’t agree with her choice,” Jack added matter-of-factly.

Mark let out a humorless chuckle. “Just like that? You can’t be serious.”

“Dead serious,” Jack replied stonily, “the wedding is going to happen whether you’ll be there or not. Just thought you would like to know.”

“But you can’t,” he objected, throwing up his hands. “I don’t like the military but I still remember there are regulations against a commanding officer fraternizing with someone under his command,” Mark elaborated. To be honest, it was one of the most ridiculous rules he’d ever heard of, but in this case he was glad it existed.

Jack smirked, leaning slightly forward. “Oh, but we can.”

“I could report you,” he blurted out, shocking himself. This man in front of him was every inch the military officer and Mark was pretty sure he could snap him like a twig if that dangerous glint in his eyes was anything to go by.

“You wouldn’t do that to Carter,” he replied, swallowing hard. “She’d never forgive you.”

Taking a deep breath, Mark steeled himself. “You don’t know that; I’m her brother after all. If it would stop her from making such a huge mistake… I won’t pretend to _like_ the Air Force, but Dad’s always saying Sam is going places that she’s going to reach the top. No matter how much I dislike the military, I won’t have you ruin her career.”

“A court martial goes both ways,” Jack told him. “Yes, I’m the senior officer here but I think we both know that the military is still very much this man’s army… do you really think they would let a female junior officer go with a slap on the wrist when she’s involved with a three-star general?”

He wanted to argue that, but Mark knew it would be futile. The older man was right, he would only hurt Sam even more if he were to do that. “Well, you don’t know that. She isn’t some captain but a full bird colonel.”

“And under whose command do you think she’s been promoted, huh?” He challenged him, crossing his arms. “She started as my 2IC over eleven years ago. Yeah, George backed me up on commendations but eventually I took over as base commander and was responsible for promotions. If you report this, _you_ would be the one that ruins her career,” Jack stated, tapping Mark’s chest to emphasize his words.

Mark had always known that Sam was the smart one, Daddy’s pride once she joined the AF. She’d been tested at a young age and her IQ was through the roof, so he knew that Sam deserved her promotions. And, despite what he’d said earlier, he couldn’t accuse her of sleeping her way to the top. She was too darn smart for that. Which was exactly what was bothering him; she should know better than sleeping with her CO! At an impasse, he sighed and dragged a hand through his hair before glancing behind him. One of Sam's friends – Daniel something? They’d met once at Sam and Pete’s engagement party – was standing a few feet away, looking very uncomfortable and awkward, while Sam and his own family were sitting at the picnic bench eating. A couple of kids had apparently joined them… “I won’t report you,” he confessed, shaking his head.

“Glad to hear that,” Jack remarked, his eyes following Mark’s line of sight. He smiled when he saw Sam and the kids enjoying a late meal.

“Sam mentioned you had kids,” he spoke up hesitantly, recalling their Christmas dinner. “Are those yours?”

Grinning proudly, he nodded his head. “Yeah.”

“I hadn’t realized they were… so young,” Mark continued lamely. He had expected that they were closer to Sam's age, what with their age difference. “Aren’t you a bit old for that?”

“Excuse me?”

“Well, you’re obviously a lot older than Sam,” he elaborated irritably. “Doesn’t help that she doesn’t look forty yet.”

Jack let out an exasperated sigh and scrubbed his face with his hand. “Yes, she’s younger,” he confirmed cautiously. Their age difference was still a sore spot for him, with him being sixteen years older, but he wouldn’t admit that to Mark. He knew Sam loved him, the kids and the baby she was carrying and that was enough for him.

“So, you’ve got a thing for younger women?” Mark spat out venomously. Jack's cautious answer only fueled his suspicions, obviously the man was older than Mark had thought at first, otherwise he wouldn’t have reacted the way he had. A couple of years between partners isn’t that big of a deal but the man was obviously reluctant to admit just how many years there were between them. Besides, if he was a _three_ -star general he was no spring chicken! Not to mention that he’d been Sam's CO for over a decade!

Narrowing his eyes, Jack eyed him suspiciously. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“We were introduced at Sam and Pete’s engagement party,” he explained, recalling those events. “Dad said you’d been dating some CIA agent last time he’d seen you and I doubt the CIA has a lot of women your age. Your date that night was probably even younger than Sam. Pretty, but very young,” Mark remembered the blonde-haired woman with the charming smile easily. Not just because of the obvious age difference between her and the general but also because he’d seen Pete and several other men eyeing her, but she hadn’t seem to notice anyone but the old general. Not being an expert on women, Mark expected there was something about the older man in front of him that women found attractive, maybe it was the uniform, his physique – which he had to admit looked better than his own – or his status as a general. “The blonde, was she their mother?”

“I don’t think that’s any of your business,” Jack replied in an intimidating manner. Did the guy expect him to give him his family tree or something?

“I’ll take that as a no,” he retorted smugly. “Let’s see… blonde, blonde and dark-haired. So, a thing for young blondes?”

Realizing this wasn’t helping matters either, Jack relented. “Their mother is dead.”

“Ah, I see. The perfect opportunity to remarry and have Sam raise your kids, huh? So, what? I’m not blind or stupid, I know my sister is an attractive woman, a good catch. You decided that now that your wife is dead you could marry your mistress?”

“Sam and I didn’t get involved until she told me about the divorce,” Jack chose his words carefully. It was true; she had told him she was divorcing Shanahan before she left for Atlantis and they hadn’t known her divorce hadn’t gone through when they had slept together that first time. When she finally came back to Earth, they had waited until the divorce was finalized.

“Waited until you were both free? Yeah right,” Mark huffed, not believing a word of it. He hadn’t been able to contact Pete since Christmas because once he’d been transferred to San Diego he joined narcotics and was on an undercover assignment, but he knew that his friend had expressed worries about O'Neill’s influence on Sam when they were together. At least his buddy hadn’t badmouthed Sam since the divorce came through, while Sam obviously had been cheating on him with her CO.

“Both divorced,” he replied, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Jerking his head towards the picnic table, he raised his brows. “They’re what, five, six years old? Can’t have been that long ago since their mother died or your divorce.”

“Four and five,” Jack informed him, ignoring the rest of his question.

“You’re obviously taking advantage of the fact that Sam has always wanted kids,” Mark accused, glaring at him. “She and Pete tried for a long time, but I guess this works out even better for you. In a couple of years, she’ll be stuck with them when you’re pushing up daisies.”

“Excuse me?” Jack asked again, slightly affronted. He was in great physical health for crying out loud! Well, it wasn’t like he could tell his future brother-in-law all about his trips in the sarcophagus, his time in stasis or all the revivals he’d gone through.

“Obviously Sam is going to outlive you,” Mark explained in a placating manner. “You’re stealing her life by getting married; she’ll be stuck with a couple of young kids, will probably be frowned upon by her fellow airmen and an old man with lots of emotional baggage.”

“You’d rather she’d have stayed with that stalking, controlling, good for nothing cop friend of yours? He had kids too, you know. Not that he’d let Carter have any influence on the parenting part, she was only allowed to babysit and take care of them. Then what? Maybe she would finally get pregnant, have his kid and then die before Shannon? Or maybe she’d outlive him, women do get older than men, ya know. He may have been a couple of years younger than Sam, but that doesn’t mean he was right for her. He’s an insecure child in a grownup man’s body that expects to always get his own way. Would that make you feel better, if she’d spend the rest of her life with him?”

“You know nothing about Pete,” Mark defended his friend adamantly.

Cocking his head, Jack quirked an eyebrow at him. “And you don’t know anything about me, so don’t pretend you do. And judging by everything you’ve been saying, you don’t even know Carter.”

“Don’t tell me about my sister,” he hissed, getting angrier. The general had hit a sore spot, because Mark always felt like he hardly knew anything about his sister, or her life. She and their Dad were close and although they came over for birthdays and holidays, they were always being secretive together over their work under the guise of everything being classified.

“I won’t,” he retorted, holding his palms up in a universal gesture. “You’re her brother, I shouldn’t _have_ to tell you. I know Sam, I’m going to marry her in three days and I’ll make her happy. If you care about her _at all_ , you’ll get over your petty feelings of being wronged here and you’ll support her,” Jack concluded, punctuating his words by tapping the man’s chest.

Mark simply stood there, slightly dumbfounded as the general turned on his heels and walked back to the picnic bench.

“He’s right you know,” Daniel said softly, taking a few steps closer to Mark. “They love each other, have for over a decade but never acted upon it. Don’t let your prejudices cloud your judgment; Jack would do anything for Sam, give his life for her in a heartbeat… or even let her go.”

“What do you mean?” He asked, looking up at the bespectacled man.

Daniel chuckled softly and pushed up his glasses as he looked at Sam's brother. “Let’s just say that I can’t remember a time that Jack and Sam weren’t in love, and I’ve worked with them since they were assigned to Colorado Springs. Jack has always wanted what was best for her so he stood on the sidelines when she started dating. Refused to convince her one way or another when she was contemplating Pete’s proposal. He simply wanted her to be happy, even if it wasn’t with him.” Daniel shrugged, glancing at the table where Jack was now sitting next to Sam, his arm around her shoulders and Maddy on his lap. “I’m just glad that they’ve finally opened their eyes and realized what they were missing. Jack loves her and she loves him. She’s going to adopt the kids, she’s already visited a lawyer the day before yesterday and the kids love her too. They’ll make each other happy, Mark.”

Frowning, Mark followed the man’s gaze and had to admit that Sam looked… happier, almost radiant. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen her smile like that. Turning back, he nodded slowly. “So, you just came along to tell me this?”

“No,” Daniel grinned, “I’m the diplomat.” Seeing his confused facial expression, he elaborated. “Sam was afraid Jack might kill you if you said the wrong thing, so I said I would come along to make sure no bodily harm would be done.”

 


	22. Here Comes the Bride

“So, are you excited?” Ilse asked, grinning as she helped Sam in her dress. Seeing a bashful smile on the face of her soon-to-be step-sister-in-law, she nodded. “Or wrecked with nerves? Scared shitless?”

Holding her breath as she was being laced up, Sam caught her eye via the mirror. “All of the above?” She asked hesitantly.

“No need for that,” she replied, her eyebrows knitting together in concentration – she didn’t want the dress to be too loose – and casually shrugged with one shoulder. “It’s going to be fine; Jack loves you, he’ll be waiting for you to come down the aisle looking all gorgeous and stuff-”

“Me or Jack?” Sam asked, snorting.

Ilse rolled her eyes and pulled the dress extra tight until Sam gasped. “Both, but I was referring to you. Now stop talking or I won’t get this tight enough.”

“You do realize I still have to be able to say my vows?”

“Vows are overrated,” she replied, waving a hand around in a dismissive manner before grabbing the lace again. “As long as you can say ‘I do’ everything will be fine.”

“Ilse,” she gasped, out of breath when the dress tightened even more around her body.

“Just nodding will do too,” Ilse grinned, winking at her.

Sam grunted when she was finally laced up completely and cautiously tried to breathe in. “Shallow breaths, I can do this.”

“Don’t touch the makeup,” she yelped, batting Sam's hands away. “Just… don’t touch anything.”

“Can I at least sit?” She asked, sarcastically raising a brow.

Ilse nodded, steering her towards the makeshift vanity table. “Yes, sit here. Your hair isn’t done yet.”

“What about you?” Sam turned to look at her, scowling at her outfit. “You still don’t have your dress on.”

“Don’t worry about me, I can just squeeze into it under two minutes.”

Sam giggled, remembering their search for the perfect dresses for the wedding. “Yeah, I remember,” she replied, recalling how impressed she’d been with Ilse slipping in and out of dresses within _seconds_.

“I’m more worried about the girls,” Ilse grimaced at the thought of the two flower girls keeping their dresses in a proper state; Maddy wasn’t known for her love of dresses.

Sam anxiously glanced at the door, nodding in understanding. “They’ll be fine,” she tried to reassure both of them. “Besides, Cassie is there to keep an eye on them.”

“And your sister-in-law,” Ilse added. “With your niece. I’m sure they can help them get dressed and keep an eye on those two munchkins while donning their own outfits.”

A knock sounded on the door, making the two women glance at each other.

Shrugging, Ilse made her way over and reached for the handle. Looking over her shoulder, she rolled her eyes at Sam. “That better not be Jack or Daniel, I told them to stay away and that they wouldn’t get to see the dresses until we’re out in the garden.”

“Not even Daniel?”

“Jack would try to get it out of him,” she replied as she opened the door. “Cassie! Wow, you look gorgeous! Come in, come in, before someone sees you,” Ilse added, ushering her inside before looking both ways in the corridor.

Cassie chuckled, shaking her head. “No one saw me, don’t worry. Teal'c is guarding the staircase to make sure Jack and Daniel won’t get up here. Or Grandpa Jake, Grandpa George or Uncle Mark,” she cautiously mentioned.

“Mark is okay with you calling him ‘Uncle Mark’?” Sam questioned, frowning. Her brother had hardly said a word since he and his family had arrived into town yesterday and it was obvious he was still mad at her. That was okay, because she was still mad at him too, she told herself. Laura, Ryan and Amy had been excited and were probably trying to make up for his chagrin. Amy had practically been jumping up and down ever since Sam had suggested she’d be a bridesmaid together with Cassie and Ilse – her maid of honor – since she wanted her to feel welcome despite Mark’s behavior. Cassie was still busy with school and had only gotten there late last night, having had to work a lot of double shifts now that she was an intern so after discussing it with both women, Sam had decided to pick Ilse as maid of honor, since she had more time to help out with the wedding plans.

“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” she quipped, walking over towards her. “You look beautiful, Sam; stand up and twirl around so I can see your dress!” She had been on the phone a lot with Sam and Ilse this past week, to discuss the plans for the wedding and to help pick dresses via MMS-ing but the pictures didn’t do the dress – or Sam in it – any justice. “Oh wow!”

Sam blushed and ducked her head with all the attention, once again chastising her fair skin. She was very satisfied with the dress herself, thinking it was absolutely gorgeous. Far better than the dress she’d worn when she married Pete. Of course, this time she’d had Cassie – albeit via phone – and Ilse's input, instead of Hilda, Pete’s mother. Ilse had been quite impressive, able to divide the dresses into three categories with one glance; yes, maybe and never. They had only needed a day and a half to find the perfect dress and if she were honest, Sam had almost given up hope when they had finally found the white halter dress. “Thanks,” she mumbled.

“She’s right, you look gorgeous,” Ilse confirmed, forcefully turning her around by the shoulders. “We’re lucky you’ve been in Atlantis for so long otherwise you would have had horrible tan lines.”

“You were really thinking about tan lines when picking out a dress?” Cassie questioned, stunned.

She looked at the young woman, astounded. “Of course, why do you think we don’t have a strapless or halter dress? Trust me, there is nothing more awful than a wedding dress that doesn’t fit properly or tan lines showing when one is wearing a strapless or halter dress. It may not seem important now, but if I am to believe a friend of mine the wedding pictures will haunt you the rest of your life.”

“Well, I guess it’s a good thing I was too busy to go dress shopping and Sam had you to help her,” Cassandra grinned, once more admiring the beautiful dress. “I just hope Jack isn’t going to drool or something when he sees you coming down the aisle!”

Sam chuckled and admired Cassie’s outfit. “You look really beautiful too, Cass. Purple looks great on you.”

She shrugged self-consciously and mumbled a ‘Thanks’ as she pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “I’m just glad the dress fits! Ilse practically forced me into it last night the minute I set foot in the house,” she complained.

“I had to!” She defended herself, holding up her hands. “Yours was the only one that was fitted through the _phone_ and I’d paid the lady of the store extra in case it wouldn’t be a good fit so I could come back last night. She’d given me her number and said to call once you had tried it on.”

“Well, I love the dress and the way it looks on you,” Sam decided, giving Cassandra a beaming smile.

“Me too,” she admitted shyly.

Ilse motioned towards Sam to sit back down as she looked at Cassie again. “Yeah, looks terrific. What about Amy?”

“She was ecstatic,” Cassie rolled her eyes. “I already heard her ask her mother if she could keep the dress and if she could use it for prom.”

“Excellent,” she nodded, satisfied. “And Maddy and Milou?”

“Less ecstatic,” she admitted, scrunching up her nose. “But they looked pretty and promised to sit still and not damage the dress until we said it was okay.”

“That’s good,” Sam piped up as she turned towards the mirror. “What about their hair?”

“Our hair and makeup is done already,” Cassie informed her as she sat down on a chair. “Only your hair and Ilse's still has to be done. Oh and Ilse has to get dressed.”

“I will, I will,” Ilse relented, holding up her hands in surrender. “I’ll send the hairdresser this way, okay?”

“Okay,” both women replied, watching her walk over to the door and leave them alone.

Cocking her head, Cassie glanced at Sam. “So, where did the hairdresser come from?”

“Believe it or not, but my Dad insisted,” she sighed, albeit slightly awkward with the tight dress.

“Grandpa Jake?”

Sam nodded, looking at her via the mirror. “He said that his little girl should have a real wedding or at least the semblance of one.”

“Wow,” Cassandra mumbled, glancing at her lap. “Was he like this with… with Pete?”

“No, I was actually pretty sure he wasn’t going to show up back then. You know, blaming the Tok'ra and some undercover mission,” she shrugged, reaching for her glass of water. “This time he promised he would do whatever he could to be here on time and yesterday there he was! He even sent a message through the gate after Jack contacted him and Teal'c aboard Thor’s ship to say that he had something to discuss with Jack and would be on Earth in the late Friday afternoon.”

Cassie nodded and stood to open the door when the hairdresser arrived. Stepping aside, she let the woman enter and followed her back to Sam before she sat in her chair.

“Hey Sam?”

“Yeah?”

She grinned widely as she caught her gaze via the mirror. “You’re going to get married in an hour… to Jack O’Neill!”

* * *

 

“Oh!” Milou gasped, gaping at her aunt when she cursed.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, blushing furiously as she pulled her now-ruined stockings down her legs and threw them in a trashcan.

“You’re not supposed to curse,” she said softly, gnawing her lip.

“Or speak Dutch when others are around,” Maddy reminded her, reciting the rules Daddy and Auntie Ilse had made up.

Fumbling in her bag, Ilse nodded impatiently. “Yeah, yeah, I know. I said I was sorry,” she mumbled, rolling her eyes. In her haste to get dressed, she had pulled a ladder in her favorite stockings and she had just blurted it out. “Sorry,” she said again when she finally found a new pair and stood, coming face-to-face with Laura Carter, Sam's sister-in-law. Not that the woman would have known what she’d been muttering about if her nieces hadn’t said a word…

Laura nodded curtly at the young woman, accepting the apology as she nervously fiddled with her wedding ring. “Is there anything I can do to help?” She asked, feeling a bit useless. It was true that she and Sam weren’t very close but she would have loved to help her sister-in-law plan the wedding. Not that Mark would have approved, she was sure. He had hardly spoken more than necessary to her or the children since Wednesday but at least he had relented and ‘accepted’ the invitation to today’s wedding. Amy and Ryan had been thrilled with the news as well as the plane trip, as they didn’t fly a lot. Well, not yet anyway – Ryan still had his mind set at joining the Air Force. But she didn’t want to think about that now.

“I’m good,” Ilse replied, smoothing out her stockings before walking to the other side of the room where her dress was hanging. Amy, Cassie and herself were the bridesmaids and had the same floor-length satin dress; purple with a square neckline and embroidery on the bodice. It had been a tough choice, almost more difficult than the wedding dress as her and Sam had both loved that one immediately. However, since there were three bridesmaids they had to decide whether to get everyone the same dress, the same one in a different color or three variations of the same dress. They had been inclined to go for a set of three dresses, one a halter, the other strapless and the last a square neckline as that would fit their respective ages better too. She herself was already in her early thirties, Cassie in her early twenties and Amy was fourteen. It couldn’t be too sexy for Amy, because then Mark would freak out according to Sam but it also couldn’t be too boring.

In the end though, they had decided on the same simple purple dress for all three of them since they couldn’t find matching flower girl dresses. They didn’t have to be exactly the same, but the colors had to match or at least not clash. With Maddy preferring jeans over dresses they didn’t want to get the girls a ballroom version or anything white because with their age it would magically develop stains no matter what they did. Eventually they had found three different simple dresses for the girls, but the dark red clashed with the orange version for the bridesmaids and didn’t match the peridot variant of those either. The purple dresses they had seen though practically matched in color and that solved all their problems!

“I really like the dress,” Amy told no one in particular, as she stood in front of the mirror smoothing down her dress for the umpteenth time.

Laura nodded approvingly before glancing at her own simple taupe colored chiffon dress. “Yes, the dress looks wonderful on you sweetheart. You should wear purple more often, it looks lovely with your blond hair.”

“It does,” Ilse confirmed, before realizing that herself and Milou were also blond. “The color was a bit tricky, I didn’t want yellow as it makes my skin look greenish while it would look great on Cassie or Maddy. Cassie said no to the pale green, thinking it would make her look like a ghost and white wouldn’t work for the girls…”

“Yes, it must have been quite a task,” she replied with a small smile.

“The design had to be just right with the different ages and builds,” she continued as she wormed into her dress. “Luckily we’re all built slim or it would’ve been even more complicated.”

“I really like the dress,” Amy repeated, smiling at her reflection.

Frowning, Ilse cast a glance towards the girl before looking at Laura. “Is she all right?”

“Ah yes,” she replied with an embarrassed chuckle, “she just really likes the dress.”

“I heard,” she said, nodding. “Hey Amy? Cassie told me how you loved the dress and wanted to wear it to prom?”

“If only!” Amy cried, excited, finally out of her trance as she spun around. “It’s a really-”

“Great dress, yes I got that.”

The young teen smiled sheepishly, blushing. “Sorry, I guess a got a little bit excited. I’ve just never been to a wedding before and have never had such a pretty dress! All the girls at school are going to be so jealous!”

Ilse chuckled as she tried to zip up her dress. “Could you…?”

“Of course,” Laura replied, moving towards her to zip it up.

“Have you been to many weddings before Ilse?”

“No, not really,” she answered truthfully. “One from friends of mine and another one from business associates. Well, and my own of course.”

Surprised, Laura waited until she turned around and exchanged glances with her daughter, understanding that she too didn’t know this. “You’re married?”

“Yes,” Ilse simply said before reaching for a bottle of water.

“Who is your husband?” She asked, trying to get to know this mysterious woman a bit better. Mark had mumbled something that had sounded like he had met her before when they reached the house but he hadn’t elaborated, other than seemingly being surprised to see her there. It was obvious this Ilse was familiar with Sam as well as her fiancé – Jack – and his children but she had no idea how they were connected. It appeared as though she knew Jack better than Sam but she _was_ Sam's maid of honor.

Swallowing a sip of water, she shrugged. “I doubt you know him.”

“He’s not here?” Amy questioned, frowning. “You’re divorced?”

“Oh no, we’re fine,” Ilse hastily reassured them. “He couldn’t make it, he was stuck with work.”

She giggled. “Another workaholic then?”

“Not really,” Ilse replied as she padded over to the bed the kids were sitting on and joined them. “Jack and Sam kind of sprung this on us; of course I knew about the wedding but the date hadn’t been set and then Jack called to tell me it was a week from then. Well, by then our schedules were already filled up but I could reschedule a lot of appointments. Matt, however, has an exposition in London and couldn’t get out of it.”

“An exposition?” Laura repeated in wonder. “He’s an artist?”

“Yeah, so not really a workaholic,” she grinned. “Although he is mostly thinking of art and thus work.”

“Must be a bummer he can’t be here,” Amy said, once again turning towards her own reflection still unable to believe that was her, Amy Carter staring back.

Making a vague hand gesture, Ilse shrugged noncommittally. “It’s too bad but that’s the way it’s going to be. Besides, we’re used to spending time apart due to our work. At least this way he could watch the kids.”

“You have children?” Laura gasped, not having expected that. She wasn’t sure why since the young woman seemed to get along just fine with Jack's daughters.

“Yes,” she smiled as she raked her fingers through Milou's locks. “Sebastian is twenty-one months and Simone six months old so they’re too young to really understand a wedding. Simone would probably disrupt it by crying and Bastian would want to participate like Nate, Maddy and Milou. He’d only feel left out.”

“Wonderful ages,” she commented, smiling as she thought back to when her own children had been that age. How time seemed to fly; Ryan and Amy were already in their teens, almost ready to leave the nest!

“Isn’t every age?” Ilse questioned as she pulled up Maddy’s socks and put her shoes on. “I vividly remember everything I went through with these two,” she remarked, tickling both girls until they were giggling. “Flying across the globe with them and Nathan in the plane, experiencing jetlag for the first time, the terrible twos… Although I have to admit that I’ve heard worse stories about toddlers.”

Laura was about to ask more, intrigued by this all when there was a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it,” Amy piped up, stepping away from the floor-length mirror to open it.

“The hairdresser?” Ilse inquired as she sat down in front of another mirror, checking her makeup before looking up at the woman. “Is Sam all done?”

* * *

 

“Nervous?” Daniel asked smugly, watching his friend fidget with the hem of his jacket.

Jack glanced up innocently and shrugged, trying to be casual about it. “Nope.”

“You are.”

“Am not.”

“Are too!”

“Am no-Daniel, for crying out loud,” he sighed, rolling his eyes. “What’s there to be nervous about, huh? I’m getting married to Carter today, in thirty-four minutes to be exact. I’m getting married to the woman I love, the woman who’s going to adopt my kids and will spend the rest of her life with me.”

“You’re nervous.”

“Am not!”

“Jack,” Daniel said in a placating manner. “It’s okay to be nervous. I was with Sha’re-”

“I’m not nervous,” he protested. “Besides, what was there to be nervous about with her? She was a gift for crying out loud, it was a given that she’d be there.”

“Ah,” he replied knowingly. “You’re afraid Sam is not going to show.”

“Am not.”

Daniel smirked as he redid his tie. “Are too.”

“I am not; she’ll be there, walking down the aisle in all her gorgeousness and then we’ll do the vow-thing and get hitched.”

“The vow-thing?” he questioned, frowning. “It’s okay to be nervous, it’s a big-”

“Daniel,” Jack barked impatiently as he straightened his jacket and shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’ve done this before, ya know. And I am not nervous.”

Watching his friend closely, Daniel lowered himself on a chair and gestured towards him. “You were fidgeting.”

“I _always_ fidget,” he retorted. “I just have too much energy to sit still all the time.”

“Yes, like a _child_.”

“It helps me think,” Jack added petulantly as he sat down next to his son. “And there’s nothing wrong with children. They’re my favorite people.”

Daniel nodded pensively, automatically responding. “Kids and dogs… hey, where is Boomer?”

“Upstairs with Sam and the girls. Can you believe it? That _dog_ actually gets to stay upstairs with them while we’re not even allowed to know what color their dress is or how they’re going to wear their hair.”

“You want to know about their hair?” He wondered aloud, pursing his lips together.

“It’s the principle, Space Monkey,” Jack sighed. “You still have the rings, right?”

Rolling his eyes, Daniel nodded as he patted the pocket on the inside of his jacket. “Yes, they haven’t moved since you asked me ten minutes ago.”

“Daddy, can I go and play outside?” Nathan asked, getting bored.

“Nope.”

“Why?”

Slinging his arm around his son’s shoulders, Jack leaned towards him. “Because the girls can’t see us yet.”

“But you said they were upstairs.”

“Doesn’t matter,” he replied, shaking his head. “Besides, your clothes will have to stay clean or they’ll get mad.”

“It’s stuffy,” Nathan mumbled, pulling on the collar.

Daniel snorted at the picture before him; Jack and Nathan on the couch together, both unconsciously pulling on their collars. “Jack, you do know that Ilse picked out his suit, right?”

“That’s beside the point, Danny Boy.”

“Daddy, I’m bored. Can I draw in here?”

Breathing in deeply, Jack leaned back in the couch. “Sorry buddy, all your stuff has been put away. You know what? After the ceremony is over we’ll have a snowball fight in our monkey suits.”

“Can we?” Nathan asked with a glint in his eyes.

“Jack, you can’t be serious; Sam is going to kill you!”

He shrugged and looked at his watch. “Nah, she won’t; she’s too afraid of that black widow curse of hers. Can we go outside already?”

“I guess,” Daniel shuddered at the thought of going outside right now, but stood anyway. “You are the only people I know who’ll get married outside in February… in DC.”

“At least we’re not Eskimos,” Jack replied, standing too.

“What?”

“Then we’d marry inside an igloo, at least we have a big yard and terrace heaters.”

Nodding, Daniel agreed and opened the door. “And burnt steak?”

“Yep, otherwise we’d have to eat fish or baby seals. And you know how much Sam hates ice fishing. Where’s T, anyway?”

“Guarding the stairs in case anyone of our gender is trying to make his way up,” he huffed, not even going to ask about the leap from eating baby seals and ice fishing to Teal'c.

Throwing one last glance in the mirror, Jack decided he really couldn’t do anything about his hair and simply left the room following Daniel and Nathan. If not even the hairdresser Jacob had hired could do something about his hair sticking up in all directions… The only good thing about his dress blues was that he could wear his cap with it hiding his hair. He wasn’t even going to think about how Jacob _knew_ a hairdresser or _why_ considering… Well, his lack of hair. “Ridiculous,” he muttered.

“Yeah, like we can’t be trusted or anything,” Daniel glared at their friend upstairs.

“Huh, what?”

“Teal'c, guarding the stairs?”

“Oh, right,” Jack nodded pensively. “Well, I guess we’ll just have to wait another twenty-one minutes until the girls come downstairs. I already asked Cassie who wouldn’t budge, even called Matt in case Ilse had told him but he was as clueless as we were… Thor couldn’t be reached and-”

Daniel turned around in confusion. “Thor?”

“Yeah, he could beam in and take a look. Or scan the closet. Maybe project a holographic me into the room to take a peek.”

 

 

* * *

Jack smirked when Milou came down the aisle, dutifully throwing flowers around as she neared him. She looked cute with her blond locks slightly curled hanging down her shoulders and a sparkly hairpin on one side, wearing a pretty purple dress. He heard the ‘Aws’ and ‘Oohs’ from the few guests they had invited as she giggled and was followed by her siblings. Nathan was the proverbial ring bearer, holding a pillow with imitation rings sewn on it in one hand and the other holding his twin’s hand. He was wearing a similar tuxedo to Jack's own and despite the stuffy feeling was smiling. Madison was wearing the same dress as her sister, her relatively short auburn curls not yet reaching the spaghetti straps and she was smiling too.

When the kids finally reached him, they nervously looked around until Daniel, Jack's best man, steered Milou towards Teal'c and George Hammond, sitting front row.

Amy was up next, in a different dress but of the same color and Jack had to admit she looked a lot like a younger version of Sam with her long blond hair around her shoulders as she cautiously stepped down the aisle, followed by Cassandra. Both of them were wearing their hair in a modern updo, elegant yet slightly tousled which fit them. Ilse wasn’t far behind and was wearing the same dress as the two younger women and her hair worn practically the same only hers was wavy instead of straight. The three of them were all smiling brightly and once they reached him went to their respective spots; Amy stood to Sam's side, near her parents and brother, Cassie stood in the middle and Ilse right of where Sam was supposed to stand.

Jack's heart was pounding in the chest when he heard the slight change in music and he narrowed his eyes not to miss anything of Sam's grand entrance. For what felt like an eternity he saw nothing until Jacob stepped outside in his dress blues – the only person next to George Hammond in military attire – and Sam joined him. She was wearing a beautiful A line white halter dress with sparkly stones on her bodice and some sparkly armbands around her wrists. That unique megawatt smile was adorning her face, which was framed by a few curls and otherwise her hair was in the same modern updo as the others, and her appearance literally took Jack's breath away. As the couple neared closer, Jacob's medals and Sam's rhinestones and earrings sparkled in the winter sun catching everyone’s eyes but Jacks; his were trained on Sam's, holding her gaze with all the love he could convey through his dark brown pools.

He hardly realized Jacob was gone until Sam was standing next to him, smiling shyly with her bright eyes at him. She was looking absolutely gorgeous and he wanted to tell her that but he couldn’t form the words.

Sam was in awe of what she’d seen in Jack's eyes the moment they connected as she’d been walking down the aisle, the music dimming the other people disappearing until there was no one but Jack waiting for her on the other end. She was simply staring at him, feeling slightly out of breath even though she had hardly done anything – although her dress was still tight, especially with the small baby bump she had started showing still invisible to the untrained eye though – and she felt… so loved. When his eyes started searching her face she was happy that Ilse had told her there was going to be no veil as Jack had already seen her face for the past eleven years, loved it and her and that it would only hinder their sight as they would look for each other’s eyes. She startled slightly when Jack's hand came up to brush one lock of hair behind her ear, making her smile as she recalled the hairdresser telling her that she’d leave a few curls out because Ilse had said Jack was always touching Sam's hair.

“Dearly beloved…”

 


	23. The Reception

“She looks happy,” Laura whispered to her husband now that she had him cornered near the refreshments.

Mark reluctantly followed her gaze and saw Sam talking animatedly to their Dad, George Hammond and Daniel Jackson. “Maybe,” he shrugged, not willing to admit that his sister indeed looked happy. Then again, she had seemed happy with Pete too but apparently his friend hadn’t been good enough for her. Scanning the surroundings, his eyes fell upon his new brother-in-law who seemed to be engrossed in conversation with Sam's maid of honor, the same woman who had been his date at Sam and Pete’s engagement party a few years ago. The moment he and his family had arrived in DC and visited Sam, he had recognized her and the woman had friendly smiled at him. “Looks like he,” he jerked his chin towards their newest member of the family, “is preoccupied with whatshername, though.” It was a foreign name, that much he remembered. Short, reminded him of an island… Isle? No… “Ilse,” he said, finally remembering again. “That’s her name.”

“I know,” Laura nodded. “She seems very nice. Sam apparently likes her too and those little girls of Jack's were very fond of her.”

“They used to date, you know,” Mark informed his wife as he gestured towards the couple with his glass.

Surprised, Laura cocked her head and observed the pair. “Really?”

“Yeah, they were at Sam and Pete’s engagement party together. Sam introduced us but I didn’t talk much with them… why should I? All I knew was that he was her CO and from what I remember from the Air Force is that you don’t really socialize with your boss. I figured she had only invited him because she had to. Dad and George seemed to know him too. All of her colleagues, actually.”

“I thought George Hammond used to be the base commander,” she remarked as she slipped her hand in the crook of his arm. “So he would know the people she worked with.”

Patting her hand on his arm, Mark smiled at his wife. “Yes, but they were far more amicable with each other than you would expect from military folks.”

“They are researchers, not gun wielding flyboys,” Laura chuckled, shaking her head at her husband’s worries. “You know, I guess them dating,” she nodded towards Jack and Ilse again, “does explain a few things.”

“Like what?”

She shrugged and grabbed a glass of champagne. “Jack's daughters were very comfortable with her and she did make a remark about going through the terrible twos with them and everything.”

“You think she helped raise them?” Mark inquired, frowning at what this could mean.

“I don’t know but it’s possible,” Laura replied. “Very brave of Sam to befriend her.”

Munching on a hors d’oeuvre, he scowled at his brother-in-law across the room. “Maybe she didn’t get a say in it, seeing as those two are still very cozy.”

“Honey, you know your sister; I don’t think someone can force her to do anything she doesn’t want to,” Laura said in a placating manner. “She’s just a very nice person and gets along with everyone.”

“Yeah, that’s probably her best and worst quality,” Mark huffed before taking another sip of champagne. “I just don’t trust those two and Sam is far too naïve and unworldly when it comes to relationships, or maybe even people in general.”

Laura rolled her eyes at his comment and let out a sigh, forcing herself to resign to the fact that maybe her husband and his sister really didn’t know each other very well. “I don’t think something is going on between them, not of a romantic nature at least. Ilse told us she’s married and has two young children… she and Jack are probably just good friends. These days, you don’t see such amiable breakups anymore and I think it says a lot about Jack – and Ilse – that there are no hard feelings between them.”

“You’re just a romantic,” he replied. “Speaking of children, where are Ryan and Amy?”

“I think Amy was minding Jack's daughters in the living room and Ryan was hanging around Cassandra… I think he’s trying to impress her,” she chuckled, squeezing his arm.

Mark frowned, remembering what his Dad and Sam had told him about the young woman a few years ago, at Sam and Pete’s engagement party – when he’d been blindsided by her presence in their lives. “Isn’t she a bit old for him? Sam told me she was going to college when I met her, that’s been a couple of years now! Ryan is only sixteen!”

“He just fancies her a bit, don’t worry about it honey. She is a very pretty girl, after all.”

“A young _woman_ , Laura,” he corrected her, letting out a sigh. Leave it to Ryan to take an interest in someone on a wedding with such few guests. “Oh great,” he muttered as he glanced back to Sam, “my Dad is beckoning us.”

Laura gave him a small smile and grabbed his upper arm with her other hand. “You can’t hide forever, honey. Let’s go and say hi. You’ve hardly spoken a word with your Dad and Sam, let alone Jack. If I hadn’t dragged you over there after the ceremony you probably wouldn’t even have congratulated them.”

“Fine,” he grumbled, relenting even though he still didn’t agree with Sam's choices. Laura gently guided him over to them and he nodded as his father and George Hammond greeted him.

“Hello son,” George greeted Mark before turning to the man’s wife, “Laura, you’re looking beautiful.”

“Hello,” she smiled shyly, blushing at his compliment. “Sam, how are you feeling?”

“Yeah,” Jack chimed in as he walked up behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her neck. “How are you doing, Samantha? Hmm, have I told you how gorgeous you look?”

Sam giggled when he dipped his head in her neck and pulled her back against him, one hand splayed protectively over her stomach – not that others would assume that, she thought – and his breath tickling her ear. “Jack,” she drawled out his name, slightly embarrassed with General Hammond, her father and – disapproving – brother so nearby.

“Yes, _Jack_ ,” Jacob tried in a stern voice, glaring at his new son-in-law.

Smirking, he pressed a kiss on Sam's bare shoulder. “Hey _Dad_ , you gave us permission-”

“Come on, Jacob,” George chuckled, slapping his friend on the back. “It was about time!”

“I’m glad you approve, Sir,” Sam told him genuinely, still blushing from Jack's intimate embrace in front of everyone.

“Please Colonel, I’m retired now,” he replied, smiling indulgently at her. “Call me George you two.”

Turning her head slightly, Sam looked at Jack and they both nodded. “Yes Sir.”

“Yes Sir,” Jack said simultaneously, tightening his arms around his wife.

“Jack, I need to breathe,” she giggled, pushing back at him. Ilse had done a good job on lacing up her dress but with Jack's extra strength, inhaling was getting even more difficult.

Laura smiled at the cute picture the married couple made, but a sideway glance told her that Mark was still wary of them. “You two look really happy,” she couldn’t help but say, earning her a glare from her own husband.

“Thanks Laura,” Jack looked up at her with a lopsided grin, glad that at least Mark’s wife was happy for them.

She blushed, once again impressed by Sam's handsome husband – who was quite different from Pete Shanahan – and she could understand what her sister-in-law found attractive in him.

“She’s right,” Jacob affirmed, finally giving the couple an approving smile. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen you beam like that, Sammie.”

Sam snorted at his choice of words – which probably wasn’t intended the way she interpreted it – and nodded shyly. “I’m really happy, Dad,” she confessed.

“And I’m one lucky son of a bitch,” Jack straightened slightly and pressed a kiss to her temple.

“That you are,” Mark muttered under his breath, but if the jab in his rib was anything to go by his wife had heard.

“Hold that pose!” Daniel exclaimed to the happy couple, bringing up his camera. “Yes, excellent!”

Jack blinked his eyes a few times, trying to get rid of the black spots Daniel's ridiculous flashes had caused and saw Sam doing the same. “For crying out loud, Daniel! I think five pictures of the same pose is more than enough,” he muttered, annoyed that his vision still wasn’t good. It was worse than the Asgard beaming technology!

“Sorry,” Daniel smiled sheepishly. “I’ll just go… over there,” he made a vague hand gesture and quickly strode away.

“O'Neill, Colonel Carter,” Teal'c joined them, inclining his head in respect for his friends, the newly betrothed couple. “I wish to felicitate you once more with your union. Rya'c and Kar'yn expressed their regret at not being able to attend but requested for me to convey their congratulations as well as a message.”

“Did you tell them there would be cake?” Jack asked seriously.

“Indeed,” he gave O'Neill a small indulgent smile. “They wish for you to love and fight like warriors, just not with each other.”

“Thank you, Teal'c,” Sam grinned at him, showing her dimples as she recalled the union of the young couple at the SGC over four years ago. “I’m sorry they couldn’t be here too.” Looking around, she noticed Mark’s puzzled expression and – since she’d decided to behave like an adult and not let her day be ruined by his stubbornness – felt she needed to explain. “Rya'c is his son, we were at his wedding with Kar'yn a few years ago.”

Jack nodded, resting his head on her shoulder. “Quite a memorable occasion. Lots of paperwork went into that one.”

“I see,” Mark replied, not really seeing it. “I didn’t know you had a son.”

“I do not share such personal information lightly,” Teal'c informed Colonel Carter’s brother.

“Say,” Jacob butt in, him and Selmak sensing trouble – or an interrogation – coming from his son. “How have they been? It’s been over a year since I last saw Rya'c and I’ve only met Kar'yn once,” he referred to one of his joint missions with the Jaffa Nation.

Understanding the Tok'ra’s objective, Teal'c turned towards him and gestured him to walk with him. “They are faring well…”

Sam watched them go, still smiling until she turned towards General Hammond, Mark and Laura. “Have you guys had anything to eat or drink yet? You, Sir?”

“I can take care of myself, Sam,” George reassured her with a twinkle in his eyes. “You just enjoy this day… you’ve certainly waited a long time for it.”

“Yes Sir,” she nodded.

“Well _George_ ,” Jack emphasized his first name, “what do you think of our little shindig so far?”

Chuckling, he patted the man’s shoulder. “It certainly wasn’t what I had in mind when Doctor Jackson called me, asking me to attend a conference in Washington DC!” Doctor Jackson had called him, saying that there were going to be alien dignitaries attending as well and that they expected an official ceremony. Well, Jacob and Teal'c did qualify as alien dignitaries… “How he would pick me up from the airport and drive by your house to pick you and Colonel Carter up too… Well, I guess that should be Colonel Carter-O'Neill now, or – Lord have mercy on the Air Force – maybe Colonel O'Neill.”

“Ah, I haven’t decided yet,” Sam said hesitantly. With Pete she had kept her maiden name but she and Jack hadn’t discussed the issue, having been way too busy planning the wedding itself!

“You’re not going to keep your name?” Mark asked, frowning at her. “Why not? I mean, normally I wouldn’t have asked but you did when you married Pete.” To be honest, he had expected her to take Pete’s name but she hadn’t, saying something about her career and how everyone knew her by her maiden name. Now, for this guy, this _Air Force general_ who would be aware of such issues, she was prepared to change her name?

Taking a chance, Jack searched her face until her eyes locked on his. “I think you should keep your name, at least for work. George is right, I’m sure the Air Force can’t handle another Colonel O'Neill,” he tried to joke, in case she would assume he didn’t want her to take his name and be insulted. “Your entire career – as a soldier _and_ a scientist – you’ve been known as Carter, you have scientific publications on your name. Besides,” he smirked, pressing a kiss on her lips, “I like calling you Carter.”

“I noticed,” she grinned bashfully, staring into his dark brown eyes.

“Er,” Mark cleared his throat, uncomfortable witnessing their lovey-dovey behavior. “I’m going to check on Amy and Ryan, see how they’re doing.”

“I’ll go with him,” Laura mumbled as her husband stalked off. “I am really happy for you, Sam,” she turned to her sister-in-law. “I’ve never seen you smile like that and I’m sure that in time, Mark will realize that too.”

“Thank you,” Sam replied before the woman ran after Mark.

Looking at his former subordinates, George couldn’t help but smile, happy that they were finally together. “I will go and see how Cassandra is doing,” he told them, realizing that they could use some time alone on their big day. “And I haven’t had the chance to talk with Ilse yet nor have I spent enough time with those sweet children of yours, Jack.”

“Our children,” he replied, grinning. “Sam wants to officially adopt them,” he said in a low tone.

“Wonderful, I’m sure you will be a great mother,” he told her, genuinely pleased with the news. “Oh and just when were you two planning on going public with your marriage? Because I can tell you that Henry-” 

“Won’t be a happy camper?” Jack guessed, grimacing.

George laughed at that, shaking his head. “Not at first, no. But he likes both of you and he knows what you have done for this planet. It’ll just take him some time to process the news and you know as well as I do that there is a good chance he will be forced by the brass to launch an inquiry regarding your relationship.”

“My official assignment starts Monday, Sir,” Sam replied. “Jack hasn’t been my CO since Woolsey took my command from me.”

“Yes, I am aware of that,” he said slowly, narrowing his eyes. “But you and I both know how the rumor mill works. I trust your honor and integrity and having worked with you two for as long as I have, I know you would never break regulations for your personal desire.” He frowned, pointedly looking at Jack. “Well, at least not the fraternization regulations.”

“Yes Sir,” Jack confirmed, nodding sharply even though he could feel Sam tense up in his arms. After all, they _had_ broken the regs during his visit to Atlantis two years ago… No one knew, though, no one but the two of them and if it was up to him, it would stay that way.

Turning to Sam, George winked at her. “And with your reputation to pull off the impossible, I’m sure many people will agree with me. It’s just that even one person can wreak havoc, as we have all learned with Kinsey.” With one last encouraging smile, he nodded and walked away, leaving the couple alone for a few minutes.

* * *

 

“Oh, hello Laura,” Ilse greeted the woman. “Are you enjoying yourself?”

“Hello Ilse, Cassandra,” she nodded friendly, still a bit hesitant to join them but the two women didn’t seem to mind. “I’m trying,” Laura confesses softly, “but my husband still isn’t happy about Samantha’s wedding.”

“Yeah, I was surprised Uncle Mark actually came after Jack and Sam told me about your little intervention at the park,” Cassie replied.

Laura almost choked on her champagne and coughed to clear her windpipe. “I’m fine,” she objected hoarsely when the young woman patted her back. “Uncle Mark?”

“Oh,” she grinned mischievously, “yeah. He doesn’t know I call him that, I don’t think he’ll appreciate it. He wasn’t very happy when Grandpa Jake introduced us and I told him that being Sam's brother made him my uncle.”

“I don’t understand,” she replied, confused.

Cassie shrugged and sipped from her own glass of champagne. “I’m… from Toronto and was adopted by Janet Fraiser when I was twelve. My new Mom was a doctor on the base where they,” she jerked her head to where the old SG-1 was talking, “were stationed. We got very close over the years but my Mom was… killed in action a few years ago,” she swallowed hard, still finding it hard to talk about. “Jack and Sam became my legal guardians and Sam's Dad told me to call him Grandpa ten years ago since Sam didn’t have any kids and he and Mark had lost touch… with Sam being so career-oriented he figured he wouldn’t get a grandchild anytime soon and he really liked my Mom too.”

“I had no idea,” Laura gasped, her hand on her heart. “Goodness, Mark never told me that.”

“I’m not sure how much he knows about it,” she replied hesitantly. “But Grandpa Jake introduced us a few years ago with Sam's, ah… engagement party to that cop.”

“I see,” she nodded in understanding, wondering why Mark never mentioned the girl before. Cassandra was somewhat related to Samantha after all, making her family too! “So, joint guardianship?”

“Yeah, my Mom always wanted Jack and Sam to get together, I guess,” she giggled, exchanging smirks with Ilse.

Ilse bobbed her head in understanding. “It’s a shame Janet couldn’t see them together… Sam told me she was missing her, especially with such an important day.”

Cassie’s smile slowly disappeared as she felt sadness reach the surface again. “Mom would have been ecstatic, seeing them finally express the love they feel for each other… sharing their feelings openly.”

“I’m sure she would have.” Squeezing her shoulder reassuringly, Ilse simply nodded. She had heard stories about the late Janet Fraiser from Jack and Sam had shared some too when they had gone shopping for the wedding dresses. She knew Janet had been a good friend of both of them and she had given the alien woman next to her a good and loving home.

“A part of her will always live on in you, Cassandra,” Laura said kindly, trying to offer some comfort to the young woman. It couldn’t have been easy for her to be adopted as a young teenager only to lose her new mother again after a few years. Luckily for Mark and their own children, Samantha was safely working in a lab all the time, not going out in the field like the doctor apparently had been doing when she died. No matter how stubborn her husband was being, Laura knew it would affect him deeply if something was to happen to his sister. After all, he was only behaving like this because he thought she was making a mistake and couldn’t accept that her view on life was different from his own.

“Especially now that you’ve chosen the same career path as her,” Ilse chipped in.

Cassie smiled and nodded. “I want to help people like she did.”

“Will you be joining the Air Force too?” Laura inquired politely, figuring she might as well get to know this new addition to the family even if Mark hadn’t really acknowledged her. If she wanted her husband and his sister to get along again, she had to make sure to keep Sam and those she loved close, not let their relationship be ruined because of Mark’s stubbornness.

“I don’t know yet,” she shrugged. “I want to finish becoming a doctor first and maybe then I can contribute to the Air Force, like my Mom did. Like Jack, Sam, Murray and Daniel.”

Laura smiled at her, somewhat understanding her need to follow in her mother’s footsteps. After all, Mark and Sam had been struggling the same way in their late teens. “Ryan wants to join the Air Force too,” she confessed, leaning in closer. “But he’s afraid to tell his father.”

“I know,” Cassie whispered back, bobbing her head, “he told me earlier.”

“Mom?”

Laura looked up from their whispered conversation when she heard her daughter call out. “Here honey,” she beckoned her. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh hi,” Amy greeted the other two women shyly and pointed over her shoulder. “The kids want to play outside but I told them they couldn’t because of their clothes. How could anyone want to ruin such pretty dresses?” She wondered aloud, smoothing down her own dress. It was getting a bit cold now, but Aunt Sam had handed her a black wrap earlier to cover her upper arms.

“So, you really like the dress, huh?” Ilse snickered, shaking her head in disbelief. She and Sam had been looking for ages for good dresses – they had given up the search for the _perfect_ dress – but she hadn’t expected Amy to fall in love with the thing. “Sam and I didn’t know if you liked the color but she couldn’t seem to reach your father’s cell phone,” she cautiously mentioned, even though she was pretty sure Mark had simply ignored Sam's calls.

“Amy doesn’t really wear purple that often,” Laura commented.

The teen rolled her eyes and sighed. “Yeah Mom, you’ve been saying that all day. I do like the dress and the color!”

“I’m glad,” Ilse smiled at her. “We were going for peridot at first, but it was too difficult to match the right shade for the bridesmaids and the flower girls.”

Laura frowned in confusion. “Peridot? What kind of color is that?”

“It’s a greenish color from gemstones,” Cassie explained. “Varies from yellow-green to olive and brown-green, one of few gemstones that only comes in one color. It’s also Jack's favorite color,” she added, smirking.

“We also tried peach, but that wasn’t a success either,” Ilse continued, sighing. “Instead, we went for purple and it looks great on everyone!”

“It does,” Laura nodded, glancing at their dresses. “The children looked very adorable too. How old are they anyway?”

“Milou is five and Madison and Nathan are four years old.”

“Close in age,” she commented, glancing at where the children sat. They looked a bit bored but were still keeping quiet and staying in their place, not something she would have expected from kids their age.

Ilse agreed, remembering how surprised she’d been when her sister had told her she got pregnant again. They actually had a fight about it, which was ridiculous, she thought in hindsight; Lily was a grown woman and a great mother. “The twins were born prematurely,” she explained, shrugging, “so there’s only eight months between them and Milou.”

“I think it’s great,” Cassie remarked, smiling. “They get along wonderful and the small age difference probably contributes to that.”

“Talking about the kids, I better go check on them before they decide to play rough and tumble in the snow with their outfits still on,” Ilse commented, rolling her eyes. With a small wave, she walked away, heading for her nieces and nephew. They had been very good during the ceremony and hadn’t caused any trouble thus far.

“Aunt Ilse,” Nathan exclaimed when he saw his auntie come their way. “Can we go play in the snow? Daddy said we could have a snowball fight.”

Stopping in front of the three kids, she leaned down until she was at eyelevel with them. “Really, he said that? Well, why don’t you ask Daddy yourself, okay?”

Nate nodded and jumped from the couch, grabbing her hand with his right one as he tugged on his sister’s hand with the other. “Okay. C’mon Mads!”

“Okay,” Maddy said in a singsong tone as she slipped from the couch.

“Wait sweetie,” Ilse stopped and rolled her eyes. “Your dress,” she said disapprovingly as she tugged it back down and straightened it.

Shrugging, she patiently waited for her auntie to fix it. “Milou,” she turned to her sister with questioning eyes.

Milou gracefully hopped from the couch and, smoothing down her dress with one hand, grabbed her aunt’s free hand. “I don’t want to play in the snow. My foots are cold.”

“Feet,” Ilse corrected her as they walked towards Jack and Sam.

Maddy huffed and quickly ran after them, unmindful about the dress swooshing around her legs. “Wait,” she cried out, almost tripping over her own feet.

“Are you injured, Madison O'Neill?” Teal'c questioned as he caught the child before she fell down the threshold and lifted her in his arms.

Snuggling against his chest, she gave him a cheeky smile and shook her head. “Nope, I’m good.”

“What do you know, she’s just as eloquent as you Jack,” Daniel joked, chuckling at his own attempt at humor.

“No more alcohol for you,” Jack countered, squeezing Maddy’s leg. “And there is my other girl,” he greeted a grinning Milou that suddenly popped up from behind him.

Releasing Milou's hand as she cuddled up to her father, Ilse gently pushed Nate out in front of her as she stepped up next to Jack. “They wanted to ask you something, Jack.”

“Daddy,” Nate sighed, tugging on his collar irritably.

Sam giggled softly when she heard his soft whine, which sounded very similar to that of her _husband_. “Just, stop pulling on it,” she told the boy, ruffling her hand through his dark blond hair. “Ignore it and you won’t even notice it’s there.”

“Nah, it doesn’t work like that, Carter,” Jack grimaced, pulling on his own collar that had just started annoying him from out of nowhere. Leaning down, he picked up Nathan and unbuttoned the first button of his collar. “Better?”

Nate nodded slowly, pursing his lips together thoughtfully. “A bit.”

“So, what did you wanna ask?”

“Can we play in the snow?”

“No,” Sam replied immediately. “You can’t play in the snow in your suit, not to mention it’s way too cold to roll around in the snow without your coat.”

“But you said so,” he objected, pouting at his father.

“Erm,” Jack cleared his throat uncomfortably when he found Sam's inquisitive glare pointed at him. “Not right now, buddy. Maybe once the party is over.”

“Trouble in paradise already?” Mark whispered as he walked up to Sam's other side and leaned towards her, having noticed her glaring at her new husband.

Sam rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh when she turned towards her brother. “Nothing is wrong, Mark. Why can’t you just accept that I’m happy?”

“Hm,” he shrugged noncommittally.

“You look so pretty, like a princess,” Milou mumbled, leaning against her leg and wrapping her arms around her. “Mommy, I’m cold.”

Mark almost choked on his own saliva when he heard Jack's daughter call his own sister ‘Mommy’. Sure, Daniel had told him that Sam wanted to adopt the children but he hadn’t expected _this_. “What?”

Ignoring her brother, Sam stroked Milou's hair and smiled down on her. “You look very beautiful yourself, honey. Why don’t we go back inside and get you warm, huh?”

“Okay,” she nodded and reached for her mother’s hand to lead her back inside the house.

“I want a snowball fight too,” Maddy suddenly spoke up. “Can I be on your team?”

Jack chuckled when she batted her eyelashes at Teal'c and gave him that little pout he himself could never ignore. Seeing as his Jaffa friend inclined his head, he couldn’t either. “We’ll just have to wait a few more hours, kids,” he told the twins, who nodded conspiratorially at him. Yup, leave it to Maddy with her wide-eyed innocent face to wait for Sam to leave to bring up the snowball fight. “But you’re going to have to wear some pants, sweetie.”

She nodded seriously, frowning as she leaned back from Teal'c’s chest. “I look like a dolly,” she grimaced at her dress.

“A very pretty dolly,” Ilse confirmed, smiling at her. “Just a little while longer, for the pictures. Then you can get dressed, okay?”

“Okay,” Maddy said with reluctance. “Cold feet, carry me inside, please?”

“Very well,” Teal'c rumbled, inclining his head towards O'Neill’s youngest daughter.

Quickly assessing the situation, Ilse gestured towards Daniel. “Ah, we should probably take Nathan back inside as well,” she said, moving to take her nephew from Jack's arms.

“Okay,” Jack drawled, narrowing his eyes at her. “We’ll just stay here and… talk,” he mumbled, glancing at Mark.

“Good luck,” Daniel piped up, clasping his shoulder before hastily ushering Ilse and Nathan inside the house.

Mark took a deep breath and, realizing the two of them had been left there on purpose, turned towards his new brother-in-law. “So….” His Dad had cornered him earlier, insisting that he’d be polite and not ruin Sammie’s big day, which meant that he had to try and be polite to her new husband.

“Yeah,” Jack mumbled. After a heavy silence, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and rocked on his feet. “So, thanks for coming. It means a lot to Sam that you and your family came here, despite your differences.”

“Thanks for inviting me,” he replied politely, feeling the urge to at least say something nice today. That way, Laura and his Dad couldn’t fault him if this little ‘talk’ got out of hand; he had tried, right? Besides, he was pretty sure that Jack wanted to do this as much as he did. So what if they would just stand here for a while and pretend like everything was okay between them?

“Anything for Sam,” he muttered under his breath, still unsure of how to treat her brother.

Mark grimaced and looked around the yard. “A nice house you have here. Are you renting or did you buy it?”

“Bought it.”

“When?”

Jack shrugged and kicked up some snow with his shoe. “A couple of years ago.”

“Oh,” he nodded slowly. “When did you come to Washington?”

“A couple of years ago,” he repeated. “When I bought my house.”

Realizing they weren’t going anywhere like this, Mark sighed. “So, why aren’t you wearing your dress blues?”

“Sam isn’t wearing them either.”

“Dad and George Hammond are,” he countered, ignoring the comment about his sister. The thought of her wearing her dress blues for her wedding hadn’t once crossed his mind and he shuddered to think it had been a possibility.

“Yeah well,” Jack shrugged, glancing up at the man allowing a little smirk forming on his face. “Sam's always telling me how dashing I look in my dress blues; wouldn’t want to outshine the bride.”

Mark huffed at that, rolling his eyes. “How did you pull this off? I mean, George Hammond is here and you’re still Sammie’s CO.”

"Her reassignment is officially starting on Monday; she hasn’t been my subordinate since the beginning of December. We’re not doing anything wrong.”

“Technically,” Mark added. “So, no honeymoon then?”

“Nope, no time.”

“Must have been a bummer to hear that Sam is starting so soon already. I heard you hadn’t planned the date for the wedding yet until she heard about her assignment. Otherwise you could have waited until next weekend,” he suggested.

Jack grimaced. “On Valentine’s Day? Now that would be a cliché.”

* * *

 

“They haven’t killed each other yet,” Cassie reported as she was looking out the window, observing the two men. “Actually, they’ve hardly moved.”

“Well, that’s good, right?”

Sam shrugged when Laura asked that question while looking at her. “Could be.” She’d seen Jack in action quite a few times during the years they were working side by side and knew he could attack from out of nowhere. Not that she expected him to actually hurt her brother. Mark, however, she wasn’t so sure of. Sure, he was here, he and his family had come over for the wedding and he hadn’t objected when asked during the ceremony. Still, she knew her brother and knew he could be unpredictable. Or maybe not unpredictable per se, as she was sort of expecting him to do something stupid and ruin her day.

“They’ll be fine,” Jacob tried to reassure everyone from the sofa he was sitting on. After all, both men had promised him they would do their best to behave as to not ruin his Sammie’s day. Surprisingly, Jack had been the easiest to threaten, although his knowledge of Selmak had probably helped persuade him. Mark had been a bit harder but even he had relented. “So George,” he turned to the man next to him, “I hope you weren’t being too hard on my daughter earlier.” He had overheard his old friend warn the newlyweds about possible consequences when he and Teal'c had been talking.

“I don’t think I have to tell you she’s a pretty smart lady,” George chuckled. “And despite appearances, I think we both know Jack isn’t that dumb either. I have no doubt that they have thought everything through and nothing I told them seemed to come as a surprise to them.”

Jacob nodded, taking a sip from his champagne. Selmak had wanted to protest to drinking alcohol, saying it would force her to needlessly clear his blood and ensure the health of his liver but he had insisted it was traditional and he had already given up drinking coffee for her. “Yes, they have planned this quite strategically.”

“Well, she _is_ your daughter, Jake,” he grinned, patting his friend’s shoulder.

“When is she starting her new assignment?” Jacob inquired, gesturing towards his daughter in front of the fire, Milou perched on her lap, with his glass. “We haven’t had much time to catch up yet.”

“Monday,” he replied seriously. “They cut it quite close.”

Nodding his head, he agreed. “That they did… what is this I heard about Sam commanding the _George Hammond_?”

George rolled his eyes, still embarrassed about it. “As you are probably aware, Jack has been trying to name one of the ships for years,” he explained in a low tone, ensuring Mark’s family didn’t overhear. “After _Enterprise_ was rejected he pitched the idea to Henry to name them after those who have played in an important role in our… _foreign_ missions. He claimed he thought it was ridiculous to name them after Greek tragedies.”

“Quite an honor, George,” Jacob praised him.

He shrugged bashfully, his face heating up. “I’m not dead yet, Jake. Besides, it’s risky to talk about in public,” he elaborated. After all, how was anyone going to explain that they named a ship after an Air Force general who had been assigned to NORAD for years, awaiting his retirement? They couldn’t explain it until the Stargate Program would be made public and the people would learn of spaceships.

“Yes,” he nodded in understanding, “that’s why they’re referring to it as _Project Phoenix_ , right?”

“A far better name, if you ask me,” George huffed.

“What’s _Project Phoenix_ , Grandpa?” Ryan asked curiously, having overheard their last lines.

Instead, George answered curtly. “That’s classified, son.”

“Awesome,” he grinned, bobbing his head. He liked Grandpa’s friend, who was a retired Air Force general too. “It has to do something with Aunt Sam, right?”

“We can’t tell you that or we’d have to kill you,” Jacob quipped, smirking at his grandson. The boy was growing up fast and he was proud of him, especially after learning he wanted to join the AF too over Christmas dinner. He briefly wondered how Mark would react when he found out… __

Overhearing the little joke, Sam turned around. “No bodily harm on my wedding day, Dad,” she warned him.

“Shouldn’t you get your bag ready?” Jacob asked instead of responding to her warning. “I thought you were going to the _Four Seasons_ after the reception.”

“Ilse and I already packed my bag this morning,” she told him, grinning as she thought of the contents. During their hunt for her wedding dress they had stumbled upon a white lace teddy, perfect for her wedding night.

Refilling Jacob's glass, Ilse bobbed her head. “Oh yeah, we made sure she has all the essentials,” she grinned too, exchanging glances with Sam. “We just have to make sure Jack gets back inside unscathed in time.”

The words had hardly left her mouth and the phone started ringing.

Scrambling to her feet, Milou ran over to the phone. “Hello?”

_“Hello, who am I speaking with?”_

“Who’s this?” She asked, pursing her lips together as she rocked on her feet.

 _“I asked first.”_  

“I’m not supposed to talk to strangers,” she retorted.

_“Come on, sweetheart, it’s me; Uncle Henry. Now, is this Milou or Maddy?”_

“Milou,” she said softly, smiling at the phone. “Why aren’t you here? We’re having a party.”

_“Really? Well, I’m really busy sweetie. I’ve been trying to reach your Daddy but he’s not answering his cell phone.”_

She nodded at the phone. “I’ll get him,” she promised. Turning to her mother, she held the phone against her chest. “It’s for Daddy.”

Sam got up from her chair and opened the sliding doors so she could slip through.

“Daddy,” Milou cried out, walking towards him and Uncle Mark. “Uncle Henry on the phone!”

Jack turned on his heels hearing his daughter’s voice, glad for the interruption as his conversation with Mark had gotten quite strained. “Thank you, honey,” he breathed out, thanking his lucky stars until he realized who was on the other end of the phone. Clearing his throat, he took the phone from her. “Hello, Mr. President?”

_“Jack! I’ve been trying to reach you but you weren’t answering your phone!”_

“Ah, sorry Sir,” he stammered, not even recalling where he’d left his cell phone.

Mark just stood there, gaping. He’d been stunned when Sam had been at his place after she’d come back from abroad and he’d brought Pete over for them to talk and her phone had rung, the president on the other end of the line. But apparently, Jack knew the man personally as well, his own daughter referring to him as ‘Uncle Henry’! Obviously, his father and Sam hadn’t been joking during Christmas when talking about the President!

_“It’s okay, Jack. Your daughter told me that you were having a party? One to which I wasn’t even invited!”_

Scrubbing his face with his hand, Jack slowly made his way inside the house, determined to have this conversation in his office. “Ah yes… well, actually, Sir,” he smirked, finding Sam's eyes, “I just got married.”

 _“I’m sorry, I thought you said you just got married_ ,” the President chuckled, as if it was a good joke.

“Yeah sure you betcha,” Jack replied, “Sir,” he added belatedly.

After a short silence, the President cleared his throat on the other end of the line. _“Does this happen to have anything to do with a certain colonel I know?”_

“Maybe,” he said cautiously, exchanging uncertain glances with Sam who had appeared on his side now.

“We’ll just take this in his office,” Sam told everyone, steering Jack towards the entrance hall to reach the office as quickly as possible.

“Looks like the cat is out of the bag,” Ilse stated when the couple left.

Looking around, Milou frowned. “What cat, Auntie Ilse?”

* * *

 

 

Mark groaned as he dropped the two bags, one belonging to Sam and the other to Jack in the entrance hall. Not because the bags were that heavy, but because his father had practically ordered him to do it and he realized that he was slightly out of breath from running up and down the stairs. “There, they’re ready to go,” he announced as he walked into the living room, which was strangely devoid of people. Well, Sam, Milou and Laura were there and George Hammond had already left. “Where is everyone?”

“Outside,” Sam replied from her position near the sliding doors.

“Why? It’s already getting dark and cold,” he frowned and joined her and his wife. He’d been shivering already when he’d been left outside with Jack for their awkward and strained conversation about nothing really and now that they day was almost over – or at least Sam and Jack were leaving for their hotel – everyone had gone back outside?

“Snowball fight,” Milou piped up, pressing her finger at the glass to where Ryan was visible.

“The kids are having a snowball fight?” Mark wondered aloud, questioning their sanity. “Where are Dad, Daniel, Murray and Jack?”

Sam rolled her eyes before turning to her brother. “Participating.” This wasn’t how she had envisioned her wedding day… Then again, she _had_ married Jack O'Neill. According to him it was a reward for the twins for behaving all day and Nate wearing a monkey suit while Maddy had been upset with having to wear a dress.  Teal'c had immediately expressed his agreement and Sam knew that was only because he enjoyed the activity, not having much experience with snow growing up on Chulak. He rarely relaxed with playing games other than Ping-Pong, cards, chess or some form of fighting and said that snowball fights were an accurate training exercise. Then to have her father of all people saying he was in for a round or two as well, she’d been stunned and unable to come up with a reply. Obviously, living in the Tok'ra tunnels for years until the Goa'uld had been defeated had affected her father in a surprising way. He blamed Selmak, of course, saying it was more of a cultural experience for her. And Jack, well, she had indulged him with a smile and told him to have his fun for half an hour.

“In their suits?”

Laura chuckled at her husband’s exasperation. To be honest, she’d been pleasantly surprised to see the adult males storm off outside to play in the snow under the guise of entertaining the children. “When I questioned that, Jack simply said dry cleaners had been invented for a good reason.”

“At least Amy, Ilse and Maddy got changed and put on some pants and boots,” Sam argued. “Oh look, here they come.” She moved back and slid open the door for the snow-drenched party. “Had fun?”

“Yeah,” Ryan exclaimed, stomping his feet on the matt before toeing off his sneakers. “Jack is awesome, we totally won!”

“Did not,” Daniel objected as he too walked inside.

“Indeed we did, Daniel Jackson,” Teal'c replied smugly, carrying Madison O'Neill inside with him. “I had informed you before that O'Neill and I would prevail.”

Sam snickered as she made room for everyone. “Daniel, you went up against Jack _and_ Teal'c?”

“And Ryan and me,” Maddy piped up.

Shaking his head, Jack got rid of the last traces of snow in his hair. “I already told him that if we’d exchange Maddy for Nate we’d been up against an all-girl team,” he smirked.

“Watch it, O'Neill,” Jacob warned him, narrowing his eyes. “I think it was a tie.”

“It so wasn’t,” Jack grinned, patting his father-in-law on the shoulder. “Are you gonna claim Selmak didn’t help you out a bit?” He asked in a lowered tone of voice. “Ha, I knew it,” he added smugly when Jacob's expression betrayed him.

“Either way, we’ve got to get going, flyboy,” Sam remarked, smiling at her husband. “Your driver is waiting outside already.”

“Excellent,” he quipped, rubbing his hands together. He was inclined to tell her he couldn’t wait to get them out of these clothes – although she did look gorgeous in her dress he wanted to see her without it too – but decided not to since Jacob and Mark were there as well. “Let’s go then!”

“Kisses,” Milou cried out, reaching up to her father.

“Okay, so Jack has an appointment with the President tomorrow,” Sam sighed, “so I’ll have to wait until he’s done and can pick me up from the hotel before we get back here. I hope that’s not a problem?” She asked Ilse, who had agreed to watch the kids with Cassie – although the rest of her own family was staying at the house too – referring to the reason the President had called in the first place. Of course, now that they had told him about the wedding there would probably be an interrogation waiting for Jack and she was next on Monday.

“Take your time, enjoy,” Ilse smirked, watching as Jack said goodbye to the kids and Cassie. “There’s not going to be a honeymoon soon so this is all you get for now.”

“I could pick you up, Sammie,” Jacob offered, “unless you prefer to wait for your husband of course.”

She cocked her head, pensively. “Well, if it’s not too much trouble… Oh wait, have you renewed your license?”

“What?”

“Your driver’s license,” Sam explained. “It’s been quite a while since you’ve been… Erm, driving yourself around here and I was just wondering if you’ve taken the time to renew yours to get rid of your social security number on it. If yours isn’t in order you can’t drive.”

“That had to be done three years ago, Sam,” Mark said. “I’m sure Dad has done so.”

“Actually, I haven’t,” he admitted, not really keeping up to date with the news on Earth. At least, not when it came to such inconsequential things, it wasn’t like he was actually driving around the planet anymore. “But you can pick her up.”

Mark scowled at him. “Me?”

“That’s very sweet of you, Mark,” Sam grinned, taking full advantage. “Don’t be late, the keys for Jack's SUV are on the side table in the entrance hall.”

“I’m going to get my dress blues for tomorrow’s meeting,” Jack mumbled after saying goodbye to everyone, “and then I’ll hand our stuff over to my driver.” He quickly ran up the stairs to grab them and when he got back downstairs, Sam was waiting for him next to the door, already having said her goodbyes. “Bye everyone,” he said, before opening the door and gesturing towards his driver who immediately jumped out of the limo.

“Congratulations, Ma’am, Sir,” the driver grinned, taking in their outfits.

“Thanks,” they both mumbled as he opened the door for them and stepped inside the warm limousine.

“You know,” Sam started, snuggling up against Jack once she had straightened out her dress on the leather seat. “You really didn’t have to go through all the trouble of getting reservations, at the _Four Seasons_ , of all places!”

“Nothing’s too good for you, Mrs. O’Neill,” Jack quipped, pressing a kiss on her temple. “Besides, Ilse already paid for the dresses and ceremony as her wedding gift.”

“She’s crazy,” she replied.

“Nah, just got too much money,” he countered. “Besides, she still feels responsible for the kids and insists that it’s in their best interest for us to get married.”

Sam nodded, her nose pressed against his warm neck. “And that’s the only reason I accepted her gift.”

“Me too,” Jack answered, his hands rubbing up and down Sam's cold arms to get her a bit warmer.

“Still, you didn’t have to do all this; we already knew there wasn’t going to be enough time for a honeymoon.”

“Sam,” he sighed, tipping her chin up with one hand to look at her face. “You know I love you and would do anything for you right?” When she nodded, he smiled and continued. “Good… There’s only one thing I won’t do and that’s spending our wedding night under the same roof as your Dad.”

She giggled at that, hiding her face in his chest. “Good point,” she mumbled, momentarily having forgotten that all their friends and family were staying over and wouldn’t leave until tomorrow evening.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that the death of George Hammond was written in to reflect the sudden demise of the actor Don S. Davis and as a tribute to him in the show, but since he’s still alive in my fic I changed the reason of renaming the Phoenix.


	24. The First Day of the Rest of Our Lives

Feeling something tickle his face, Jack scrunched up his nose and slightly turned his head before he slowly opened his eyes. A slow, lazy smile formed on his face as he looked down on the blond head of his _wife_. Her sweet face was relaxed in sleep, long dark lashes contrasting with her fair skin and a few smudges of mascara in the corner of her eyes making her look even more beautiful lying in his arms than in any of the fantasies he’d had of her over the past decade or so. Her long blond tresses were fanned over his chest, their touch silky and light as a feather. His own tan and silvery chest hairs a stark contrast to her fair skin and locks.

Slowly bringing up his hands, he slid one into her locks, enjoying the feel of the strands wrapped around his fingers – an action that had been forbidden for years and only fuelled his want to touch her hair. His right hand came up to caress her cheek, her skin soft and cool to the touch. A few hairs got caught on his ring and he gently extricated them. The weight and feel of his wedding ring was still a bit strange and would take some getting used to, but he liked it as it represented his relationship to Carter. Not that he would actually be wearing it a lot on his finger; it would probably spend more time on his tags than his hand. Still, it meant that he was married to Colonel Samantha Carter, PhD, something he had never been able to believe would happen eventually. Now, though, here they were. Married, entirely naked and tangled up in each other and he was never going to let her go. She was pregnant with his child, was going to adopt his kids…

God, how he loved her. They had been together for almost two and a half months but up until yesterday he had still been worried something would happen to drive them apart. Or make her come to her senses and dump him, even though he knew she did love him. It had just always seemed like a faraway dream, to think that they would actually end up together, married. Now, here they were. Their wedding had been like nothing he had ever imagined when thinking of marrying Sam. And despite already having slept together for weeks, their wedding night had been amazing, still was actually. Jack smirked, glancing at the floor of their luxurious suite and spotting the discarded white lace teddy he had carefully removed from his wife’s body only a few hours ago. Oh yes, amazing indeed, he thought to himself. They had made love several times and had finally fallen into an exhausted sleep.

Now though, he’d woken up with still several hours to go before they _had_ to get out of bed. Once more looking down, he smiled as his eyes roamed over Carter. She was practically lying on top of his chest, one arm wrapped tightly around him and he could feel the ring on her left hand on his skin, where her fingers curled around his side. Her other hand was lying next to him, clutching the sheets. As he let one hand wander from her cheek down to her neck and shoulders, he noticed how cold her skin was. Probably cooled down by the sweat formed on her back before they had fallen asleep. His hand continued its journey down, caressing the few scars it came across on the way until it reached the covers and pulled them up over her shoulders.

Taking a deep breath, Jack inhaled her scent as he buried his nose in her hair. Then he lay back, resting his head on the fluffy pillow, closing his eyes to focus on the feel of her body pressed against his. Her strong arm wrapped around his torso, her delicate fingers in a relaxed hold on his side. Luscious breasts pressing against his chest, her rosy nipples hard against his skin from having the covers bunched up around her waist for hours. He had always thought his rough skin, the callus on his hands was from his work in the Air Force so he’d been surprised to find that Sam's skin was soft and silky everywhere like all the other women he’d known, despite having done – and still doing – the same job as he’d been doing.

If he really focused on the feel of her, he could feel the tiny bump where their baby was growing on her otherwise taut stomach pressing against his hip. Her legs, endless and smooth as silk were tangled with his own and as he shifted slightly, he could feel the slightly different texture on her left thigh where scar tissue had formed after her encounter with the Kull warrior. Sam wasn’t very vain, if anything she probably had no idea how beautiful and sexy she really was but he knew she wasn’t very happy with some of her more pronounced scars marring her perfect alabaster skin. He loved every part of her though, the scars only added to her beauty especially because he knew the story behind most of them – had been there when they’d been created. Jack opened his eyes when he felt her shift and heard a soft sigh.

“Hey you,” Sam mumbled sleepily, leaning up on one elbow to wipe at her eyes with her other hand in the hopes of minimizing the mascara damage.

He smirked as his eyes found her blue orbs blinking at him and leaned forward. “Hey gorgeous,” he mumbled, pressing his lips against her in a soft kiss.

Feeling her cheeks heat up in a blush, she ducked her head and gently pressed her cheek against his chest. “What time is it?”

“Almost 0500 hours,” Jack replied after casting a glance at the clock. “We still have a couple of hours before my driver has to pick me up for my meeting with the President.”

“Hmm,” she murmured, snuggling closer to his hard, muscled body. “What do you think he’s going to do?”

He shrugged, careful not to dislodge her from his chest. “Dunno, if we’re lucky he’ll just congratulate us.”

“That’s probably the best case scenario,” Sam snorted.

“Well, we’ve already discussed all the other scenarios,” he objected. “Worst case; they’ll court-martial us.”

Straightening up slightly to look at him, she gnawed her lip. “And you’re okay with that?”

“No,” he rolled his eyes, “but it’s not like I can stop them if the brass wants to go down that road. Hey, what’s wrong?” Jack asked when he recognized the uncertainty on her face. Of course, this line of thinking wasn’t very reassuring to him either but they had gone over this several times already when they’d been planning the wedding.

Sam swallowed hard and took a tremulous breath before searching his eyes. “No regrets?”

“Never,” he immediately replied, cupping her cheek with his hand. “I love you, Samantha Carter-O'Neill and we’re going to be a family; you, me, the kids and the little one growing inside of you,” he mumbled, slipping a hand between their bodies to touch her stomach. “You?”

“Not doing this sooner,” she smiled shyly, pressing a kiss on his chest.

Jack snorted at that as he let his fingers slide through her hair. “Well, if we’d done it sooner they would actually have grounds for a court-martial. Unless one of us had resigned, which wasn’t and isn’t an option,” he reminded her. Not that he wouldn’t have gladly retired if it guaranteed he’d get the girl, but the Air Force hadn’t been willing to let him go when he’d been seriously contemplating that idea and later on Sam had gotten married to that lousy cop – someone he _so_ didn’t want to think about on his wedding night.

“I guess you’re right,” she agreed, nodding slowly. “We’ll just have to wait and see what’s going to happen this afternoon during your meeting before we can draw any conclusions.”

“Yep.”

Scrunching up her nose, Sam pondered something. “I do, however, think that if they’re just going to let it slide or give us a slap on the wrist that they will insist I do my new assignment from Nevada.” They had talked about this, about where they were going to live after the wedding. She was officially starting her new assignment tomorrow but the brass had said they would give her some time to get settled in Nevada. It was one of the reasons she had a meeting tomorrow morning and after finding out about the wedding, the President had told her on the phone that they were going to add her new marriage to their agenda too. She hoped that working on project _Phoenix_ would allow her to do some of her work from DC, since the ship wasn’t close to being finished yet. Of course she’d go to Area 51 and check on the progress and the problems and everything but there was enough stuff to do that didn’t require her to actually be anywhere near the new ship. “That means I won’t be here in DC with you and the kids… maybe I’ll have to get an apartment in Nevada, because I’m not going to live on base.” She was so over that after commanding Atlantis for two years.

“As long as you visit and we can visit you,” Jack simply replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I don’t care that much about where we live; home is where you and the kids are.”

* * *

 

“I’m telling you Laura, it’s not natural,” Mark hissed at her.

Patting his hand in a placating manner, she gave him a gentle smile. “Honey, don’t you think you’re overreacting?”

“No,” he insisted, shaking his head. “Just listen for a minute,” he urged her, holding one finger to his lips to tell her to stay quiet and holding one finger up in the air.

Indulging him, Laura didn’t say a word and pricked up her ears. After a full minute had passed, she gave up and shrugged. “I don’t hear anything.”

“That’s my point,” Mark exclaimed triumphantly. “They’re children! Young kids with abundant energy and yet there’s not a peep or squeal!”

“I think you’re exaggerating,” she countered gently.

He rolled his eyes and opened the door of their downstairs guestroom to go to the living room. “It’s unnatural how silent it is. I didn’t even hear them go downstairs in the early hours of the morning.”

Laura shrugged and followed him out of the room. “Maybe the walls are thick.”

“They’re not, because I could hear the guys go upstairs last night,” Mark argued in a soft tone, as not to alert others.

“Honey, have you considered that maybe the children are very well-behaved?”

He turned around to scowl at her. “Right,” he huffed as they made their way into the living room. “I used to hear Amy and Ryan get up all the time and they were perfectly well-behaved – at least before they hit puberty.”

“Looks like no one is here,” Laura remarked, ignoring his previous comment. “Oh, look! Murray is shoveling snow outside.”

“That’s another thing,” Mark said as he walked into the kitchen to get them some breakfast. “Why do they all call each other by their last name, huh? They all call Murray by his last name Teal'c, Jack and Sam are hardly able to call each other by their given names and they got _married_ … Murray has this strange thing to call everyone by their first and last name or their rank, except for Jack whom he calls O'Neill.”

“They all seem to call Daniel by his first name and vice versa.”

“But he still calls Murray by his last name,” he countered, pouring two cups of coffee.

Taking one cup from her husband, Laura walked back into the living room. “It’s probably just a military thing, you’re starting to sound a bit paranoid honey.”

“I don’t know,” he replied, narrowing his eyes as he sat down next to her. “Looks like everyone is coming back inside,” Mark added when he saw Jack's kids and Ilse walk up the sliding doors, all covered in snow.

“Good morning,” Ilse greeted Sam's relatives as she ushered the children inside. They’d been making snowmen and –angels outside while Teal'c had been clearing a main path in the yard after clearing out the path in the front of the house and unburying the cars. “I hope you slept well? I made pancakes this morning and saved you guys some, they’re in the microwave.”

Setting her cup down, Laura smiled at the young woman. “Oh yes, we slept like babies, a wonderful bed you’ve given us. And don’t mind if I do get some of those pancakes!”

“Do you happen to know where my children and father are?” Mark inquired politely.

“Jacob took Boomer out for a walk,” Ilse replied as she stomped her boots on the mat to get rid of the snow. “Teal'c is shoveling snow, Cassie is hitting her books in the study and I just saw Daniel showing Ryan Jack's bike in the shed. Last I heard was that Amy was going to take a bath upstairs.”

“Thank you,” he nodded in understanding, his eyes following her and the children’s movement. “Look,” he hissed at his wife again, jerking his head towards the kids. “They’re not even trying to make a mess and simply are discarding their little boots and coats on the mat.”

Laura rolled her eyes and waited for Ilse and the children to move towards the stairs. “They’re just well-behaved, stop trying to find something that is wrong. Your sister looked like she was utterly in love with Jack and she would be a great mother to his children.”

Hearing the couple whisper to each other, Ilse raised her brows and guided the children to the stairs. “We’re just going to take a hot bath to warm up, please help yourselves,” she told them before following the kids.

“Yeah sure, thanks,” Mark told the other woman before turning back to his wife, waiting to hear the footsteps fade as they reached the first floor. “I don’t know, Laura. Look at that lineup,” he gestured towards the boots near the sliding doors. “Maybe Jack keeps them on a tight leash,” he added, reminded of the times his father had been home when he was a kid himself.

“By taking them out for a snowball fight on his wedding day?” She asked, incredulous. “Honey, you’re trying to find a fault where there is none; why can’t you just be happy for Sam?”

He shrugged, unsure of the answer himself. It just seemed such a wrong combination, surely his friend Pete had been a far better match for his sister? “I’m here, aren’t I?” Mark argued petulantly, even though he knew his wife was aware of the fact that he didn’t approve of Sam's choice despite being present at her wedding.

“I’m going to get us some of those pancakes,” Laura stated, ignoring his rhetorical question as she made her way over the kitchen. Opening the microwave, she found them and after checking, decided they needed to be heated up and activated the appliance. Once they were done she carried the large plate to the table, noticing the other breakfast stuff was still there, waiting for them. “Honey?”

“I’m just afraid everything is moving a bit too fast,” he admitted once he sat down. “Those kids are already calling Sammie their mother and they haven’t even been together for three months according to Sam herself.”

She understood and nodded encouragingly as she placed some pancakes on both their plates. “I know and I’m sure Sam appreciates your concern but in the end it’s her life.”

“What happens when a few months or maybe a few years down the line they get a divorce?” Mark questioned, reaching for the syrup.

“Maybe they won’t,” Laura countered, shrugging. “Everyone that knows them seems to agree this was a long time coming and that they’re made for each other.”

Huffing, he shook his head. “What if they _do_ get a divorce? Then Sam will be left alone, having wasted God knows how much time on this old guy and his family to end up as… what? The children’s aunt, like Ilse? You know how much Sam likes children, that will break her heart and by then she’ll probably be too old to have any of her own.”

“I doubt their friends and your own father would express their happiness at seeing them together if they all think they’re not going to last. Besides, didn’t you say that Sam is officially adopting the children? Then she would probably still be their mother even if they divorce.”

“I don’t know,” he frowned, dragging a hand through his hair before attacking his pancakes.

After swallowing some of her own food, Laura reached over the table to pat Mark’s hand. “Actually, I think it shows a lot of faith from Jack that he’s allowing Sam to adopt his children. And vice versa. Even if couples divorce, children will always bond them together. Jack must love and trust your sister very much to offer her to adopt his children, knowing full well what the legal ramifications of such a thing are.”

“Maybe,” Mark grudgingly agreed, having run out of arguments.

They continued eating their food in silence and eventually Laura cleared the table while Mark went to pour both of them some more coffee and took the cups with him to the living room.

“All done,” Laura smiled at him, after cleaning up. “I should probably go check on Amy, make sure she’s staying out of trouble.”

“Have you seen this?” Mark questioned, walking over to her with a picture of a young blond-haired boy of about eight or nine years old. “Look,” he handed the frame to her.

Frowning, she examined the picture closely. “Very odd,” she agreed. “There seems to be a certain resemblance between this boy and Nathan, and both girls for that matter.”

“There’s another picture of him and Jack together, looks to be at least a decade old. I guess that means Jack has an adult child out there somewhere,” he huffed, feeling his suspicions return once more.

* * *

 

Taking off his sunglasses, Jack confidently strode into the conference room, saluting before taking a seat at the signal of the President. “Sirs.”

“Jack,” Henry Hayes greeted, a little less amiable than usual.

A chorus of “General”, “General O'Neill” and “O'Neill” was heard from the other brass present.

Jack patiently waited for the President to complete his introduction into today’s meeting, a bit nervous when he heard him mention his marital status. “So, the _Icarus_ project,” he remarked once Hayes was done. “What was so important about it that we had to come in on a Sunday?”

“I think Jack,” Henry replied with an undertone, “that at the moment everyone here is more interested in the recent development in your marital status. Yours and Colonel Carters that is, to be precise.”

“Ah yes,” he nodded. “Sorry for not inviting you, Sirs, but we didn’t want a big wedding. I will make sure to pass on your congratulations to Carter, though,” he quipped.

Raising his brows, Francis Maynard leaned forward on the table. “I don’t think this is the time to be cracking jokes, O'Neill.”

“Of course not, General Maynard,” he replied confidently. “Might I ask what then you would like to discuss about my new marital status?”

“O'Neill, you wouldn’t be here if you truly were that stupid,” Norton Schwartz commented.

Jack was about to object to that, when he realized it probably wouldn’t do any good to piss off the Chief of Staff of the USAF. “Sir?”

“Colonel Carter has been your 2IC for seven years on SG-1,” Francis stated. “Then she became your 2IC to the entire base when you were promoted to brigadier general.”

“When you were reassigned to HWS you were still the senior officer in the same chain of command,” Norton added. “Especially with her commanding Stargate Research and Development at Area 51.”

Narrowing his eyes, Henry scowled at him. “You were directly responsible for two of her promotions and you backed up the proposal of her commanding Atlantis, which made you her commanding officer once again.”

There wasn’t even a moment where Jack could jump in and try to explain or defend his actions as the generals and the President just kept going on and on for at least two hours, summing up all kinds of reasons which weren’t that important at all! “Sirs,” he finally interrupted them with a loud voice, “with all due respect; it’s none of your business who I marry. Not even when it concerns Colonel Carter as she is not under my command at the moment.”

“Jack,” Henry said in a dangerous tone, “you are aware that she starts her new assignment tomorrow, right? One that you also suggested was suitable for her, I might add.”

“Yes,” he drawled, “which is why we pushed up the wedding date.”

Norton sighed and combed his toupee back with his hand. “You expect us, the entire Air Force and the public to believe that nothing has happened between you and Colonel Carter before her relief of command of Atlantis? That your feelings turned romantic all of a sudden two months before you got married?”

“I am saying that we upheld the fraternization regulations, didn’t let our feelings cloud our judgment nor did they affect us or our decisions adversely. We have followed the Air Force core values for a decade; integrity first, service before self and I think our work is testimony for excellence in all we do,” Jack replied patiently, not even wincing when mentioning the frat regs; because technically, that wasn’t in the first decade they had been working together. “I speak for my wife and myself when I say we are both willing to undergo a lie detector test or-”

“You are trained to pass those,” Norton objected.

“-a zatarc test to prove my statement,” he continued, ignoring the interruption. “If that is not enough, I am more than willing to retire,” Jack suggested even though he knew Sam would never hear of it. It was true though. “I have been for years but I was never allowed, otherwise I would have pursued my other interests much sooner.”

“I’m sure you would have,” Henry remarked, suppressing a smile. He was well aware of Jack and Colonel Carter’s feelings towards each other or at least had a pretty good assumption, but he had to admit they had always seemed to remain professional. His friend George Hammond had assured him nothing improper had ever happened between the two officers.

Taking a deep breath, Jack decided to just go ahead and take the ground from under their feet. “I think we all know you would never court-martial us; there is no proof of improper conduct, favoritism or anything else. I have given my entire adult life to the service and have done some damn distasteful things for my country yet I have never asked for anything in return. Nor did I object or file a complaint when the AF used my emotional state after the death of my son to perform what was essentially a suicide mission. I wouldn’t have even owned a gun in the first place if I’d never joined the service,” he casually mentioned.

“Look O'Neill-” Francis started, but was interrupted by the general.

“You wouldn’t risk court-martialing Carter, because she’s too damned important to the program! We’re here to discuss the _Icarus_ project, something Rush has been working on for over a year with no real results yet and you are actually contemplating removing or prosecuting the resident genius? Sure, McKay is a good scientist, but that’s all he is; even he admitted once that Carter is superior in her work and ideas. We already have a lack of good scientists that remain with the Air Force and we can only outsource so many things; with all due respect, Sirs, but you would have to be crazy to punish Carter for something that isn’t technically illegal.”

“You’re suggesting we’ll just let this slide, Jack?” Henry inquired, slightly surprised by the man’s nerve.

He shrugged and leaned back in his chair, even though he wasn’t as confident as he appeared. “You could take formal action but that would risk pushing Carter away; you could try to rehire her as a civilian, but I’m not sure I would encourage my wife to work for someone who has treated her this badly – without any proof, I might add.”

“You think you’re above the law, is that it?” Norton huffed, getting angrier as he realized the three-star general had a point. “Just because-”

“We saved the world over a dozen times?” Jack asked sarcastically. “Risked our lives every day for years, every time we stepped through the gate? Forged hundreds of alliances with alien races, some of whom are very much superior to our own? Brought down an entire evil race that enslaved a galaxy? Have been tortured, killed and brought back to live too many times to actually remember? No, I don’t think that, although a lesser person might.”

Holding up his hands, Francis tried to calm down the situation a bit. “Look, General O'Neill, no one is disputing what you have done during your years in the service and we are all intensely grateful for your work of the past decade.”

“Good,” he smirked. “Because when you think about it, it all sounds like a bad romance story or B-movie. Think about the bad publicity it would generate once the program goes public, while Carter and I have done nothing wrong and there is no proof challenging that.”

“Are you saying that you would go through such lengths as to-”

“I would never say such a thing, General Schwartz,” Jack denied innocently. “I would however like to remind you that if you do decide to take action against me, I might not be able or willing to keep up my agreement with the Asgard. As most of you will know, the Asgard, especially Thor and Heimdall, are very interested in the development of my children. In particular their powerful ATA genes because, you know… it might save their entire race some day. Of course, Thor has already offered me and my loved ones a home in the Ida Galaxy on many occasions, but I’ve never felt the need to accept.”

“That sounds an awful lot like blackmail, Jack,” Henry said quietly.

Raising a brow, Jack glanced at him. “That would go against the Air Force core values, Mr. President.”

“I don’t take too kindly to such… suggestions, O'Neill,” Norton glared at him. “You might want to remind yourself that in theory it’s not that easy for someone to escape jail to run off with their alien friends.”

“Well,” he shrugged, not in the least intimidated, “it wouldn’t be if those alien friends possessed something like beaming technology, Sir. And what do you know, the Asgard have that. We might have jamming technology but that doesn’t work on the improved Asgard tech. Without your resident genius that would be a bit hard to accomplish as well.”

Rubbing his hands together, Henry nodded. “All right gentlemen, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We merely wanted to discuss this new turn of events and point out possible consequences. Might I suggest we take a break before we continue with the _Icarus_ briefing? Nothing is set in stone yet, Jack, but you have to understand certain questions need to be asked… and it could be that action will have to be taken in the near future after we’ve gone over this entire situation of yourself and Colonel Carter.”

“Yes Sir,” Jack nodded an affirmative, not in the least intimidated by today’s events.

* * *

 

Sam lay back on the bed, cell phone in one hand and her other fiddling with her bag. “Come on, Mark. Pick up the damn phone!” When she eventually reached his voicemail she hung up, already having left a message half an hour ago. Next, she decided to call Jack to see if he had any news.

_“Hey Carter.”_

“Hello husband,” she smirked, feeling like a silly schoolgirl with her first boyfriend when he picked up. “How did it go?”

_“Not too bad… we’re having a break and then we’ll start on the real conference.”_

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise and she rolled over on her stomach. “Really? Took you long enough.”

 _“Over a decade worth of things to discuss when it comes to our relationship_ ,” Jack remarked.

“Apparently,” she mumbled.

_“Are you home already?”_

She sighed and punched her bag in frustration. “No!” Sam practically growled. “Mark is late, I already called him several times and left a message. If he’s going to take much longer I’m taking a cab.”

_“Or you could wait for me to pick you up?”_

“I have to leave the room in an hour,” she replied tiredly. The prospect of spending more time alone with him in their splendid suite was very appealing. “So there’s no use for you to swing by here, since I’m sure your meeting will take at least an hour and I could be home already by then.”

 _“Fine Carter_ ,” he relented, although grudgingly if his tone of voice was anything to go by. _“Look, I’ve got to go. See you tonight.”_

“Good luck,” Sam mumbled softly. “I love you,” she added sheepishly.

 _“Back at’cha_ ,” he replied before hanging up.

* * *

 

“Mark, what are you still doing here? Aren’t you supposed to pick up your sister?” Jacob asked when his son walked into the living room.

“Oh right, I forgot,” he replied. “I’m sure she doesn’t mind.”

Frowning, Jacob walked over to the door to grab Jack's keys. “We are talking about Sammie here; she is very punctual, no matter what.”

“I know,” Mark groaned, rolling his eyes. He’d been in the guest room with his wife, discussing more things about his sister’s life when she’d been calling. At first he couldn’t find the cell phone and then he had heard the voicemail. He and Laura had still been speculating when she called again, several times but he had ignored the phone, knowing that she merely wanted him to pick her up. “Look, I don’t even know how to get to the _Four Seasons_.”

“Come on,” he threw the keys at his son and grabbed his own coat. “I’ll go with you to pick her up.

* * *

 

“Add it to a computer game?” Norton asked skeptically. “Why don’t we just put an ad out in all the papers?”

“Might as well go public with the entire program,” someone else commented.

Glancing around the table, Henry saw most people agreed with the Chief of Staff. “What do you think, Jack?”

“I think it’s a great idea,” he replied, somewhat surprised that he was actually still here after his little rant and threats earlier. “Put it in a MMORPG as some sort of puzzle to get all the computer geeks of the world to work on it – for free!”

“A what?”

“A massively multiplayer online role-playing game, General Schwartz,” Jack answered. “People can communicate online and try to fulfill quests to get further in the game.”

Francis frowned, only slightly familiar with the concept. “Whose idea was it?”

“Senator Armstrong’s daughter,” Henry replied, chuckling.

Norton huffed, disturbed by this news. “Since when do senator’s daughters know classified information?”

“She’s his assistant,” Jack retorted, rolling his eyes. “Look, why don’t we get Rush and Doctor Lee to work this angle?”

“Why Lee?” Francis questioned, having heard of the man’s work at the SGC and the Midway Station.

“I’ve heard he plays those games, he would know how to implement it in an interesting way.”

Henry nodded slowly, getting more comfortable with the idea. “All right, so we make a game version of _Icarus_?”

“I think one Greek tragedy is more than enough,” Jack whined softly. “Can’t we put it into the _Prometheus_ game?”

Stunned, Francis looked through the folder in front of him. “What is that?”

“It’s part of our plausible deniability, like that television series,” Henry explained.

“Sirs, with all due respect,” Jack began again, feeling fed up with everything. “Do we really have to continue this matter before we consult with Rush on this? I don’t know about you, but I got married yesterday and I would like to spend some time with my wife. Especially if you do decide to take action against us,” he muttered the latter part under his breath.

“Very well, Jack,” Henry relented, still somewhat pleased that Colonel Carter and the man had finally gotten together even if it was going to be a difficult situation. “You go home to your wife, we’ll see her tomorrow morning.”

“Yes Sir,” he replied, throwing a smart salute before leaving the room.

His driver was already waiting for him and Jack quickly hopped into the limousine. “Home please,” he said, leaning back into the leather seats as he took his hat off. Sam was probably already home, especially if she had called that cab right after their phone call. His wife _…_ He really liked the sound of that, he thought with a smug smile as he fiddled with the ring on his left hand. It hadn’t even crossed his mind to hang it on his dog tags before going to the meeting with the brass. Obviously, his mind was still focused on his wedding night.

“Why are we slowing down?” He asked, noticing they were hardly moving.

“An accident, Sir.”

Jack peered out of his window, trying to get a clearer look to understand how much this would delay his plans. After several meters, he saw the police cars, officers, ambulances and medics standing on the side of the road. It took several more when the vehicles came into sight. His heart nearly leaped from his chest when he recognized the shape of the car as an SUV and then got a good look at the plates… “That’s my car,” he uttered, feeling panic rise within. “Stop the car,” he yelled at the driver, already opening the door before the car slowed completely but he had enough experience with moving vehicles to land on his feet. Taking a sprint, he reached the officers, all the while praying Sam hadn’t been in the car, that she really had taken a cab!

“Sir, you can’t pass,” a police officer told the older general.

“That’s my car,” Jack exclaimed, pointing at the SUV.

Gently clasping the man’s arm, the officer tried to reassure him. “Sir, the two occupants of that car weren’t involved in the accident – they aren’t harmed. Where did you come from?”

“My driver,” he mumbled, pointing over his shoulder to the black limo before pushing past the two officers. “Jacob!” He yelled when he saw Sam's Dad nearby. What the hell was Jacob doing here?“I thought Mark was supposed to pick Sam up,” he continued when he finally reached his father-in-law. “Where is he anyway? And where’s Sam?”

“O’Neill,” Selmak’s voice sounded as she grabbed his upper arms. “Jacob is most disturbed, as am I. Mark Carter was uninjured. However, he and Jacob were late for his appointment with Samantha and it appears she has taken a cab. That automobile was involved in the accident.”

“What?” Jack gasped, staring wide-eyed at Jacob or Selmak. Turning around, he ran towards the damaged cab where Mark was watching firemen trying to open the passenger door. “Oh god, Carter!”

Hearing his surname, Mark swiveled on his already unstable feet. “Jack! What are you doing here? Sam… it’s my fault! I was too late picking her up and she took a cab and it’s all my fault! My fault, I should have left sooner, I should have taken her calls, it’s all my fault-”

“Mark!” Jack grabbed his brother-in-law by the shoulders, needing him to shut up. “What happened? How is she?” He could feel the blood drain from his face as Mark lifted a shaking hand to point at the car, where the firemen were working. “Oh God,” he mumbled again, letting go of his shoulders to get a closer look.

“Sir, stand back! Let us do our job,” one of the firemen yelled, trying to keep the upset general from the crashed vehicle.

“So much blood,” he gasped, recognizing the blond head of his wife. “You have to hurry!”

“We’re working as fast as we can, Sir,” the man tried to reassure him. “The medics have tried to stabilize her as best they could before my team moved in. They’re standing by right now,” he pointed towards the group of medics.

Jack turned around, following the man’s gaze and walked up to the two young men. “You have to help her,” he grabbed one of their arms.

“We will as soon as the firemen have opened the car, Sir,” the man replied, trying to wrench his arm free.

“You don’t understand,” Jack shook his head, fighting the images of bloody Carter that popped into his head. “That’s my wife and-”

“Sir, I understand this is difficult for you, but we’re doing the best we can here. Please just stand back, your wife is going to need you as soon as she-”

“For crying out loud, listen!” He yelled, squeezing the man’s arm event tighter. “She’s pregnant and doesn’t respond well to several anesthetics and analgesics.”

“Pregnant?!” Mark exclaimed, finally brought out of his daze as he overheard Jack's yelling.

Grabbing the chart, the medic readied his pen. “All right Sir, how far along is she and who is her doctor? What kind of medication?”

“About eleven weeks and she doesn’t have a doctor yet,” Jack replied. “She just came back from a two-year assignment abroad so she hasn’t had time yet to settle in a city and find one,” he felt the irrational need to explain this to a perfect stranger.

“Medic, we need a medic!”

Turning around, Jack's heartbeat sped up even more when the firemen pulled away from the car with the door in their hands, calling for a medic now that they finally had access to Sam. Before he could respond, he was almost ran over by medical personal with a gurney.

 


	25. The End...

Jack was pacing the corridor, waiting for Caroline Lam to emerge through the double doors around the corner. As soon as the EMTs had driven them to the hospital – Mark and Jacob had followed in his SUV and his own driver had gone home – he had called her, knowing there was a ship in orbit, ready to beam her over to Washington DC. He’d been hesitant at first, because if they called in a military doctor it would go on her file and the brass would have to be notified of her pregnancy. With Sam getting pregnant one of the first times they’d had sex, it diminished their credibility when denying they had been having an affair while she’d been under his command – not that it would be very easy to impregnate her with her being in another galaxy. However, he knew that with Sam's blood – the naquadah in particular – he couldn’t let the hospital do extensive blood tests and Lam knew her medical background as well. At least she used to; when Sam had gotten back from R&D at Area 51 and been assigned shared command of SG-1 with Mitchell at the SGC. Jennifer Keller had been Sam's doctor at Atlantis, but as far as he knew – being her CO at the time meant he _knew_ – there hadn’t been any serious injuries or illnesses so nothing much should have changed. Well, nothing much with the exception of her baby and the car accident she’d been in.

As soon as Lam had arrived and he’d updated her, she’d gone through _those_ doors to check on Sam's status and take over as much as she could. They were still waiting on an update, but he knew this was no walk in the park; they had taken his wife to the operating room in a rush and he had overheard the medics talking over the radio to the operator at the hospital back in the ambulance. Though he was mostly focused on Sam, trying to be strong for her even with her being unconscious, he had processed some of the medical babble around him and it didn’t reassure him. Neither had the sight of his wife being extricated from the crushed car, or all the blood and her pale color. He was hoping that most of the blood had come from the cab driver who’d almost died instantly according to the officers on scene.

He was a soldier and had seen and done some horrible things in his career, but seeing a member of his team getting injured was always the worst. Now, Sam wasn’t just a team member  but she was his wife now, carrying their unborn child. He hadn’t been this scared since Charlie shot himself with his gun. And his son had died. A few hours earlier he had found himself sending a prayer to whatever god was out there and, though he’d been raised Catholic, he hadn’t stepped foot in church in decades. Being helpless was one of the most frustrating and scary things that could happen to him and he usually didn’t handle it very well. It wouldn’t be fair to lose the baby that hadn’t even been born yet, a tiny human inside of Sam that still needed her nurturing and protection inside her womb, one that they had made with love. So much love… the child he’d always been secretly yearning for when he thought of his feelings for her all those years ago. It was true that he hadn’t expected to have another child at his age and he was more than happy with his three kids. But when Sam turned out to _be_ pregnant he’d been overjoyed, even if a little bit scared for the future. He wasn’t sure how he would deal with losing another child… but losing Sam, that was unimaginable!

“Here,” Daniel stepped in front of him, effectively stopping his movements and pushed a cup of coffee into his hands. “You look like you need it.”

“Thanks,” he mumbled, bringing it to his lips.

Jacob hadn’t said much since the accident and Jack could only assume it was because he was slightly in shock and probably reliving memories from when his own wife died under similar circumstances. Fortunately for them, Selmak had taken over and had called Daniel on his cell phone to inform him of what had happened. Teal'c had volunteered to stay with all the children, while Daniel had taken Ilse, Laura and Cassie with him to the hospital. Mark still seemed in shock and his wife was hovering over him, neither seemed to realize that Jacob was either very quiet or speaking in hushed – Goa'uld-like – tones. Cassie had been very upset, once again confronted with a serious situation with someone she saw as her third mother and had cried herself to sleep, now lying with her head in Ilse's lap.

Daniel merely nodded before plopping back down in his chair, taking off his glasses to rub his tired eyes. It had been hours since they had gotten here and although that had to be a good sign – if Sam had died they would know by now – the tension and suspense was exhausting. This wasn’t how he had imagined two of his best friends spending the day after their wedding. Or his own day, for that matter! They should have all been at Jack's house in DC, enjoying a drink and chatting before heading off to bed. Hell, everyone probably should have been in bed already! No way he was going back to Colorado Springs tomorrow with Teal'c, not when Sam was in the hospital! He hadn’t been there and thus didn’t know what happened on the road, but from what he had heard from Jack and the officers that dropped by earlier Sam was lucky to be alive. And apparently pregnant!

On one hand he couldn’t believe they hadn’t told him and Teal'c about the baby, but on the other hand he could somewhat understand and this was definitely not the time to think about it. He would have been glad not to know yet if that meant Sam would be okay! Hearing a deep sigh, Daniel turned his head towards the origin. _Poor Jack!_ He couldn’t begin to imagine what his friend was going through, he himself felt horrible contemplating what could happen to Sam and Jack had been waiting for her for over a decade! What would losing the baby or even Sam do to him? From his own point of view, there were only so many things a person could go through and Jack had pretty much reached the limit! He knew better than to ask how he was doing, though. Instead, he exchanged reassuring smiles with Ilse before glancing at the sleeping form of Cassie. God, when would they be able to leave all the bad stuff behind? How much more could they all take?

Sam had told them about her family very early on, probably in the first few months of the program. They had all heard stories about her parents and he had to admit that he hadn’t looked forward to working with the Jacob Carter from her memories, but apparently Selmak had changed him for the better. Losing his wife had a huge impact on his life and Daniel knew what had happened to her, even though the details were vague, it was very similar to Sam's accident. Only this time it were Jacob's own children – his son being late to pick up Sam – instead of himself and his wife. A very ironic turn of events, one they could all gladly live without.

Ilse glanced at Jack, worried about him. She knew that he’d done a whole hell of a lot in the name of his country, but this was too close to home, too close to his past – to Charlie. That had nearly destroyed him and she was well aware of his feelings for Sam, as far as she knew he had never loved any woman – not even Sara, the mother of his child – this much. Getting confirmation about Sam's pregnancy should have been a wonderful occasion, joyful, a memory filled with happiness. Instead, it was bittersweet news knowing how severe the accident was and how many things could go wrong during a pregnancy, especially at Sam's age. Taking a deep breath, Ilse closed her eyes before she got overly emotional again. It wouldn’t do, not now. Jack and Sam needed them to be strong, Cassie needed comfort as well. Slowly glancing down, she stroked back the young woman’s hair as her head rested in her lap. It was strange; they were close in age and yet she felt more like a mother comforting a child than two friends. It was probably because of Cassandra’s reaction to the news, which was understandable after everything the alien woman had gone through.

Rummaging through her purse, Laura found the pills the doctor in the ER had given to her, for Mark. He had refused to take a sedative, but he still hadn’t snapped out of it. Her husband kept mumbling that it was all his fault and blaming himself wasn’t making things any easier for any of them. “Here,” she handed him a sleeping pill and a cup of water, hoping that he would fall into a restful sleep and would wake much calmer. When he didn’t respond and simply kept staring right ahead, at where his father was sitting in a chair across the waiting room – looking like he was meditating – she grabbed his hand and opened his fist. “Honey, take this,” she urged him, waiting for him to slowly turn his head towards her.

“What?” Mark asked, slightly confused when his wife’s voice sounded. Looking down, he noticed a pill in his hand and the cup of water in hers. Sighing, he obediently swallowed the pill with some of the water, before handing the cup back to her. “I’m fine.”

“Of course you are,” she replied softly, not meaning to be condescending but she knew better than to argue right now. “Just lie down, it’s been a long day,” Laura added, patting the pillowed bench they were sitting on. It wasn’t much, but for a hospital waiting room it was pretty much the best you could get. At least this way he could try to get some sleep. Maybe she could too and would be able to stop thinking about what had happened to her sister-in-law.

* * *

Pulling off her scrubs and gloves, Carolyn took a moment steeling herself before going to see General O'Neill and his friends and family. She scrubbed a hand over her face as she padded through the corridors. This was not what she had expected from her weekend, of the one of few days she had off. To say she’d been surprised to hear from the general was an understatement and she still couldn’t grasp the idea of him and Colonel Carter having gotten married the day before, while she’d been cleaning her house! The two-hour time difference wasn’t helping either but at least she’d been beamed over, instead of having to take the plane. But arriving here in the dark city of Washington DC after leaving her cozy home in Colorado Springs where she’d been reading a medical journal in the last hours of daylight on her couch, was strange. Not to mention the reason why! Of course, she had heard the rumors at work, she had been working at the SGC for a couple of years now but she had never expected for the general and colonel to get married as she usually didn’t pay too much attention to rumors, knowing what could be said about a strong, powerful, good-looking and influential woman like Colonel Carter. It was hard to believe that was the same woman she had just left in the OR, looking pale and lifeless.

She took a deep breath, straightened her clothes and opened the double doors, ready to face one of the most powerful men in the country if not the world. Well, as ready as she would ever be, that is. “General O'Neill?”

Jack's head snapped up at her soft voice and he immediately jumped to his feet, noticing Daniel opening his eyes too and Jacob getting up as well. “Yeah Doc?”

“Sir,” Carolyn jerked her head to the side, guiding him to a more private spot so that the others wouldn’t wake up.

He nodded and followed, Daniel and Jacob right behind him. “Just spit it out, Doc. Is she…?”

She slowly shook her head, reining in her own emotions. This was just a case, just another patient… She had done this plenty of times before starting at the SGC, this was not the time to get emotionally involved! “They’re still working on her-”

“Thank God!” Jacob exclaimed, although he hardly made a sound with his emotions in turmoil. At least he had calmed enough to take back control without breaking down. The time spent resting and talking with Selmak had helped.

“I knew it!” Daniel punched his fist in the air, silently chastising himself for underestimating the fighter Sam really was.

Jack didn’t say anything, just let out a quivering breath slowly. “And…?” He prompted her, pursing his lips as he stuffed his shaking hands in his pockets.

“I won’t lie to you, Sir,” Carolyn replied calmly. “She’s a fighter, I think we all know that. But her injuries are severe; there’s a lot of trauma. Judging by what I heard from the EMTs she’s lucky to still be alive; the cab driver and the guy that rear-ended them died on the scene. I mean, that cab swirled and a tree impacted Colonel Carter’s side. No wonder the firemen needed the jaws of life to get her out of there.”

“The baby?” He asked in a whisper.

Carolyn gnawed her lip and shifted on her feet nervously; she knew about his history, having access to his medical file – including psych evals. “In extreme distress, but still alive for now.”

“What does that mean?” Daniel asked, furrowing his brow. He had an idea, but he wasn’t going to rely on assumptions.

“That it doesn’t look good,” she tried in a calming tone. “There’s a lot of internal bleeding and though the airbag and seatbelt are there to prevent further injuries, they can also cause quite some damage – particularly for pregnant women.”

Rubbing his balding scalp, Jacob peered at her. “But my daughter is going to be all right, right?”

“I’m sorry, Sir, I really can’t say at the moment,” Carolyn apologized. “She hasn’t been stabilized yet and right now they’re looking for the cause of the bleed and will do a laparoscopy or a laparotomy, depending on the severity of the bleed.”

“But you’ve been working on her for hours,” Daniel argued, throwing up his hands in frustration.

Nodding, she acknowledged that, knowing the hospital staff had already started before she got there. “I know, Doctor Jackson, but there was a lot of trauma. Due to the side impact or maybe Colonel Carter was looking out the window during the rear-end collision… Either way,” Carolyn frowned, feeling the need to explain. “Either way, the quick acceleration and then deceleration caused her head to violently thrust forward and then backward, which led – next to the whiplash – to injury of her brain on the point of impact and its opposite point, or contre coup, you may have heard of it. Bruising and swelling were the results of this traumatic brain injury and since the skull is an enclosed space, the brain had nowhere to go while expanding. Luckily for Colonel Carter, the staff here is very experienced and after getting her an MRI scan they immediately notified the neurosurgeon. He had to drill a hole in her skull to relieve the pressure of her brain; he was quick and methodical but we can’t be sure of the damage until she wakes up.”

“They drilled a hole in my daughter’s head?” Jacob reiterated, horrified at the thought. “But she’ll be fine, right?” he asked again, needing her to confirm that. His Sammie had such a brilliant brain!

“Again, I can’t tell at this moment,” Carolyn said apologetically.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Jack grimaced as he regarded her. “That’s not all, is it?”

“I’m afraid not, Sir.”

“Tell me, Doc,” he insisted.

Grabbing his arm, Daniel turned his friend slightly towards him. “Jack, maybe it’s better to just wait until Sam's is out of surgery and stabilized; we don’t need to-”

“ _I_ need to know,” Jack barked, shrugging his hand off his arm. He had gone through something similar years ago and he needed to be realistic, although he wasn’t sure what he would do if his worst nightmare came true.

“The airbag caused some bruising to her face and there’s a possibility of a hairline fracture in her skull, but we couldn’t say for sure from the scan,” she hastened herself to say.

“Can’t you x-ray it?” Jacob asked, silently cursing protocol that forced him to leave his Tok'ra technology on the base. He always carried a healing device with him, dammit! Now, one of the few times his daughter needed him and he was actually here for her, he couldn’t help her!

Pushing his glasses back, Daniel raised his brows expectantly. “Or do a CT scan?”

“No,” Carolyn shook her head slowly. “The x-rays are dangerous for the baby’s health and the cat scan uses even more radiation. Normally, the doctor would weigh the risks to the benefits, but at this point the hairline fracture isn’t our main concern.”

“The internal bleeding,” Jack stated calmly, even though there was a storm raging inside of him.

“Yes. The baby is already in distress from the trauma and the extra radiation is unnecessary at this point. The MRI doesn’t use that kind of radiation, although the contrast agent isn’t entirely safe for a fetus either, but at this point it was worth the risk.”

Daniel frowned as he processed this information, his eyes cast to the floor. “But the baby is only in distress? It’s not hurt?”

“The perinatologist has done an ultrasound and is still monitoring the baby’s condition but so far it looks like the baby is only in distress. Not that distress isn’t serious, it is, especially with the Colonel’s raised blood pressure. At the moment it’s too high, even now that she is bleeding internally. We’re assuming it’s because of the accident and her pregnancy but she hasn’t seen a doctor-”

“Thor and Heimdall gave her a checkup,” Jack revealed, realizing it was in Sam and their baby’s best interest. “She was fine, they even healed scar tissue and everything in her womb.”

“That explains that,” Carolyn mumbled to herself, recalling the comment of the perinatologist when she’d done an exam. For someone with Colonel Carter’s age and career her body was in good shape, medically speaking. “The doctor confirmed she was about eleven to twelve weeks pregnant and in this case, that’s a good thing; the female body provides protection to the baby and it’s the best in the first trimester, before the body has to accommodate a much larger child. Still, even if they both pull through there’s still a chance for further complications.”

Jack winced at her choice of words, but looking at her he knew she hadn’t realized it. “What else?”

She took a deep breath and rubbed her forehead before answering. “Well, a serious concussion from the TBI… Bruising to one kidney, a fractured rib, dislocated shoulder and her right ulna is broken, probably due to the impact with the tree. Her spinal cord appears to be fine and there doesn’t seem to be any damage to her back.”

“Thank you,” Daniel gave her a wan smile. “Do you have to go back?”

“Yes, unless you have more questions?” Carolyn replied. Seeing the three men shake their head, she nodded curtly before going back to the OR, praying that Colonel Carter would be all right.

* * *

As soon as he heard footsteps, Jack's eyes snapped open even before his brain truly engaged. “Doc?” He squinted at the gray-haired man, recognizing him from one of the updates he’d given some time during the night. _Crap_! He glanced at the clock, realizing it was late morning already. Teal'c would be here soon with the kids, as Ilse had told him a few hours ago. She had called Matt to update him on the situation before checking in with Teal'c.

“General O'Neill,” Alex Logan nodded, impressed with the man’s keening ability to hear him approach. Obviously, this general hadn’t lost his touch. They met five hours ago, when  had given the man an update on his wife’s condition.

“How is she?”

Alex allowed a small smile to grace his handsome features as he bobbed his head. “Your wife pulled through and she’s resting now.”

Jack let out a sigh of relief and dragged a hand through his hair. “And the baby?”

“Doctor Perry, the perinatologist has done an obstetric exam and another ultra sound. So far, so good,” he nodded pensively. “However, there are still risks and the doctor has hooked them up on a fetal heart rate monitor. The baby is still in distress and its heartbeat is too fast at the moment; it has to slow down to a range of 120 to 160 bpm. We will continue to monitor your wife’s condition closely, especially after the bleed in her spleen.”

Jack silently relayed his understanding and sat back in his chair. “When can we see her?”

“It will be another hour before we’ll allow any visitors and it will only be family, because she needs rest. There are still a lot of things to do and if the colonel remains stable we’ll make another MRI scan, her arm has to be cast and there will be a few more exams.”

“Okay,” Jack replied, for once not ignoring the doctor’s orders as he would have done in the past with ol’ Doc Fraiser. He wouldn’t do anything to endanger Sam's health now. When he looked up he saw Teal'c and the children round the corner.

“I will be back in an hour with an update and then I’ll see if you can visit,” Alex added as he noticed the man’s attention wander to a large dark man with three youngsters and two teenagers.

“O'Neill, how is Colonel Carter faring?” Teal'c’s voice boomed through the room, waking everyone who had been slumbering as he approached.

“Stable for now, Mr…?”

“Murray Teal'c,” Teal'c replied with disdain, never having ‘warmed’ to the name as O'Neill once suggested. “You are Colonel Carter’s physician?”

Alex nodded, holding out his hand and watching in fascination as his own was engulfed by the man’s large hand. “Doctor Alex Logan, a pleasure Mr. Teal'c.”

“Indeed,” he replied solemnly.

“C’mon kids,” Jack waved his children closer, waiting for them to settle down with him on the couch. Mark’s children went over to their parents and Teal'c sat down next to Daniel. Luckily, Milou and the twins had calmed down since first hearing the news. Somehow, they had already known something had happened, or so Teal'c told him. They’d been quite upset, knowing their Mommy and the baby were in pain. Must be that ATA gene, he thought to himself.

“Where’s Mommy?” Milou asked sleepily, not having slept much last night as she kept thinking of her mother and the baby.

“Asleep for now, we can visit later,” Jack replied softly, brushing her locks back. Looking around, he noticed the doctor had left and shrugged to himself.

Raising a brow, Teal'c regarded the appearances of the Tau'ri, the Tok'ra and Hankan woman. “O'Neill, what has transpired with Colonel Carter since the last update?”

“One of her fractured ribs punctured her lung but they were able to fix it. They had to remove a small part of her liver but the bleeding to her spleen was fixed, almost resolved itself otherwise they had to remove it. So, that’s good,” he shrugged, exhaustion haunting him. All the worries and concern plus the lack of sleep were finally catching up with him. He definitely wasn’t twenty anymore.

“Indeed it is,” he acknowledged with a bow of his head.

* * *

“I’m sorry, family only,” Alex said friendly, yet sternly.

Jack shrugged. “I’m her husband, these are our kids.”

“I’m her brother, these are my wife and children,” Mark remarked, finally feeling better now that Sam was still stable. It had been over two hours since Doctor Logan had been by, but at least Sam was all right now.

“She’s my daughter,” Jacob huffed.

“Sam and Jack are my legal guardians, she’s like a mother to me,” Cassie objected affronted.

Alex rolled his eyes and then nodded. “All right, but not all at once. You will have to stay here,” he looked at the other people.

“But she’s like my sister,” Daniel cried out.

“Colonel Carter is indeed my sister,” Teal'c affirmed stonily.

“Somehow, I find that hard to belief,” Alex replied, looking at the dark-skinned man.

Raising a brow, Teal'c glared at the man. “A sister-in-arms.”

“She’s my sister-in-law,” Ilse shrugged, giving the doctor a charming smile.

He automatically smiled back, before realizing something. “I thought he was the brother and that she’s his wife?”

“I’m his sister,” she replied, gesturing towards Jack, after glancing at Mark and Laura. “His Dad remarried.”

“Fine, but only two people at the same time and no longer than five minutes,” he finally relented, showing them the way to the Colonel’s room.

“Sister huh?” Jack whispered, smirking at Ilse.

She shrugged innocently. “Well, kind of. She’s my step-sister-in-law, I guess.”

“Creative,” he admitted as they rounded the corner. He had to hold the girls back by squeezing their hands. Luckily, Teal'c was looking after Nathan so he wouldn’t have to worry about him running off. Finally, they reached the room and he immediately stepped inside, leaving the girls with Ilse.

* * *

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Jack asked again, stuffing another pillow under her head.

Sam chuckled softly, slowly nodding her head. “Yes Jack, I’m fine. Being home is better than anything they gave me at the hospital,” she admitted.

“Definitely,” he agreed, sitting down on the bed and leaning in to kiss her. Even after her week stay in the hospital he had to be careful with her concussion, the healing ribs, the broken ulna and all the internal organs they had fixed up with some sutures. Smiling down at her, he gently pulled her shirt up a bit to place his hand on the small bump. The doctors had agreed to let her go home, if she maintained bed rest because of the baby. They – as well as Sam and Jack himself – were all concerned something could go wrong, but they couldn’t keep her in the hospital for the full nine months, hooked up to the fetal monitor. The baby’s heart rate was finally within range, but only barely.

Placing her hand on his, Sam squeezed it and smiled at him. “I love you,” she mumbled.

“Right back at’cha,” he grinned as he felt her skin heat up under his touch and the familiar white trails showed again. “Look.”

“I see,” she replied happily. “I hope this means everything is okay with the baby.” It hadn’t happened when they’d been in the hospital and it still seemed a bit faint compared with two weeks ago. She groaned as she felt a contraction and tightened her grip on his hand.

“Are you okay?” Jack asked, concern etched on his face. “Is it the baby? Or are you in pain?”

“Contraction,” she grimaced, having experienced them a handful of times in the hospital, but not since two days ago. “I’ve probably moved too much as it is.”

“Want me to call the doctor?”

She shook her head, lying back in the pillows. “No, it’s gone now. I’m fine. You should go.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Jack denied, glaring at her.

“You’re supposed to take Nathan to his swimming lessons and do groceries for dinner,” Sam whined. “He’s already missed three lessons, Jack.”

He knew that was right, but he didn’t feel comfortable leaving her alone already. “What about the girls? You have to stay in bed.”

“We’ll stay with Mommy,” Milou spoke up from the doorway.

Madison nodded too, holding up her favorite story. “We can read a story.”

“Come here you two,” Sam smirked, beckoning them over and padding the two spaces next to her as she was lying in the middle of the bed. “Jack,” she turned to her husband. “The swimming is good for him and you’ll have to leave me alone when you go to work too.”

“I know,” he admitted. “But I’ve taken the rest of the week off.”

“What?”

He shrugged. “Well, Hayes already knows you were in the hospital and you’re on medical leave now, so he understood.”

“At least it got me out of the Spanish inquisition for last Monday,” she giggled, mindful of her ribs though as the girls climbed on bed with her.

Jack smiled at the three girls in his life and nodded slowly. “All right, I’ll take Nate swimming, then I’ll do some groceries and I’ll be back… within three hours,” he promised. Nathan and Madison had been born prematurely, their lungs hadn’t fully developed yet but Maddy had recovered quite well and she’d also been the bigger, stronger baby. Nate, though, still had problems with his breathing whenever he played too much and the swimming was good for training his lungs. Plus, he liked it. “I shouldn’t have let Daniel leave already,” he mumbled to himself.

Sam simply rolled her eyes. “He had work to do, no matter how much he wanted to be here and help me. Teal'c had to go back to the Jaffa, Cassie had to return to her internship, Ilse has her own family _and_ business to run and my Dad had to leave too.”

“Mark,” he suggested, even though he knew that wasn’t an option.

“Please,” she groaned. Her brother had come around a bit after the accident but he was still wary of Jack, which wore her out. It was exhausting and she was glad he and his family had to go back to San Diego. Nothing had been resolved between the two of them, he just felt guilty because of the accident. But he still didn’t support her decision to marry Jack and he had even had the nerve to ask about Charlie when she was still in the hospital. Teal'c had succinctly informed him after which her brother had stammered an apology. She was just happy Jack hadn’t been there. He had already mentioned how he was afraid of losing another child, he didn’t need her stubborn brother to remind him of his firstborn.

“Call me if you need anything,” Jack made her promise, before giving her a deep kiss.

“Eww, Daddy!” Milou protested, covering her eyes.

He simply smirked and pressed a kiss on both girls’ crowns, before straightening. “See you soon.”

“Bye!”

Sam settled in to read the story as Maddy held up the book.

* * *

Watching the girls slide off the bed, Sam waited for them to leave the room before slowly sitting up. They were going to place the book back and get a cup of juice, before returning. She had to pee. Slowly but surely she got up and padded over to the bathroom. Dropping her sweatpants and panties, she sat down, rubbing her lower back. Ever since the accident it acted up every now and then, but apparently that was normal because of the rear-end collision of the cars. Peering at her panties, she thought she noticed a drop of blood and immediately the hairs on the back of her neck rose. Her eyes widened in realization and she quickly stood and cleaned up before flushing the toilet. “Maddy, Milou?” She padded over to the sink to wash her hands, waiting for the girls to return. Her phone was on the nightstand but she wasn’t sure if she should go back, now that her back was acting up and she felt another painful contraction. “Maddy, Milou!” Sam cried out again, lowering herself to the ground as the pain worsened.

“What is it, Mommy?” Milou replied, shouting from the corridor before rushing in and opening the door to the bathroom. “What’s wrong?”

“Get me the phone, sweetie,” she replied as calmly as possible.

Doing as she was told, she ran into the bedroom, grabbed the cell phone and brought it back. “Here you go.”

Sam quickly called the hospital, asking for Doctor Perry saying it was an emergency. While on hold, she told Milou to go back downstairs and take Maddy to the bedroom and wait there. The girl immediately ran off, probably wondering what was wrong as Sam felt another sharp contraction, making her clutch her belly.

_“Colonel Carter?”_

“Doctor Perry,” Sam replied through gritted teeth. “Something is wrong; I think I had a contraction when I lay down on the bed,” she took a deep breath to steel herself for the next one, “and when I went to the bathroom I saw a spot of blood in my underwear. My lower back is hurting and now I’ve had three heavy contractions of my abdomen.”

_“I will send an ambulance right away!”_

Sam groaned as the next contraction ripped through her body, making her curl in the fetal position on the floor. “Oh God,” she mumbled, feeling a gush of… something, between her legs. Reaching down, she pushed her sweats and panties off and saw the blood on her fingers. “I’m bleeding,” she whispered into the phone, realizing that the ambulance would probably be too late. “It’s my placenta, right?”

_“There’s no use in speculating, Colonel. Just hang on until the ambulance gets there.”_

Doctor Perry had warned her about this; although a placental abruption was rare in the first trimester and usually occurred in the third, it was more often triggered by a car accident or something similar. She had told her all the signs and bleeding, cramps and contractions were part of those. The baby was only thirteen weeks old, it was far too young! “It’s too late,” she stated, more confidently.

_“We don’t know that yet, just try to stay calm and-”_

“Oh no,” Sam gasped as she tried to sit up. “Blood clots,” she whispered into her phone as she wiped her hand clean. “And I think… that I saw, ah… some gray-ish tissue,” she almost sobbed, trying to control her emotions.

_“Colonel, please don’t over-”_

“For crying out loud,” she yelled interrupting the woman. “I’ve read about this, I know what this means!”

* * *

 “Daddy!” Nathan cried out as he climbed out of the water and ran towards him on the slippery tiles. “Something is wrong with Mommy!”

“Whoa,” Jack easily caught him and lifted him, despite his wet body. “What are you talking about?”

He shrugged with big eyes and placed his hand on his chest. “I can feel it, here.”

Jack looked at the hand covering his son’s heart, feeling a fist close around his own. Shifting him in his arms, he reached into his pocket with his left hand and called Sam's cell with his own phone. When he got a busy signal he called the house. After a few rings, Milou picked it up. “Sweetie, it’s me, can I talk to Sam?”

 _“Daddy, something is wrong with Mommy and the baby,”_ she cried.

“Put her on the phone, Milou,” Jack ordered, unconsciously tightening his arm around his son. “Sam?”

 _“Jack_ ,” he could hear her hiss, which wasn’t a good sign. _“I think I’m having a miscarriage_ ,” she whispered.

He closed his eyes in defeat and took a deep breath. “Have you called the hospital?”

_“The ambulance is on its way, but it’s too late…”_

“I’m on my way, Sam,” he replied, before hanging up. “We have to go, something is wrong with my wife,” he told the instructor before running off with Nathan in his arms.

* * *

“Sam?” Jack called in panic as he ran up the stairs, Nathan still downstairs.

“Bedroom,” she called back, exhausted.

When he ran in, his heart almost stopped. She was lying on the sheets, as pale as he had ever seen her with both girls on either side, an arm wrapped around her as Milou's head rested on her chest and Maddy’s on her belly. “Sam?”

“I lost the baby, Jack,” Sam said in a broken voice, silent tears running down her cheeks. The EMTs and Doctor Perry had been by already but it was already too late, the fetus’ tissue was expelled from her body and after doing a  painful and thorough exam, the doctor had given her the news. ‘Luckily’, there was no blood trapped behind the uterine wall and just-barely finished placenta. Sam had declined going to the hospital right now, promising she would call later today for a follow up to make sure everything was gone and that there wouldn’t be any further complications since the doctor wasn’t sure if it was caused by a placental abruption following the car accident or a natural miscarriage. Right now, Sam just wanted to mourn her baby.

Feeling his heart break, Jack walked towards the bed and, after kicking off his shoes and throwing his coat to the floor, he joined her on the bed. He lifted Maddy, allowing her to lie on him as he slid his arm under his wife’s head and snuggled closer. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered into her hair, before pressing a kiss to her sleep.

“Me too,” she sobbed, burrowing her face into his sweater.

“Mommy, Daddy?” Nate asked, unsure of the situation as he walked into the room. Silently, he crawled onto the bed, lying next to Milou and placed his hand on his mother’s tummy. “Baby gone?”

Jack brushed away some of Sam's tears, before looking into Nate’s brown eyes over the top of her head. “Yeah son,” he whispered, also placing his hand on Sam's stomach.

She frowned, turning away from Jack's chest to glance down at her abdomen. “That feels really strange,” she mumbled, rising slightly – careful not to dislodge Milou's head on her chest and Maddy’s cheek from her abs – to pull up her sweater.

“It glows,” Jack remarked as there was a slight red glow over her skin. As sudden as it showed, it disappeared. “What happened?”

“I don’t know,” Sam replied, frowning. “But it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

“Oh,” he frowned too, confused. “Well, that’s good, right?”

She snorted, giving him a small smile. “I think you guys healed me,” she commented as she ran her left hand over her abdomen. The painful after contractions were gone and her lower back wasn’t hurting anymore.

“A little too late,” Jack mumbled under his breath, scowling at the ceiling. When Sam ended up in the hospital last week, he’d told Milou to use that Asgard stone Thor had given her a few years ago to contact him, tell him to come right away. She had, as she had done many times when they needed him. Still, one week and the loss of another child later, they hadn’t shown up yet. “I’m so sorry, Sam,” he whispered again, resting his cheek against her crown.

“I know.”

He caressed her cheek with one hand, locking his gaze on her blue orbs. “I know how much you wanted this baby.”

“I have you guys,” she gave a wan smile, even though she meant every word of it. “I love you and you’re enough.”

“We love you too,” Milou mumbled, her voice muffled by Mommy’s shirt. “Maybe you can have another baby?”

Closing her eyes briefly, Sam bit her lip. Opening them again, she found Jack's warm brown ones shining at her with more love than she ever thought possible. “Maybe.”

“Whatever you want,” Jack whispered into her ear. “Always.”

 

The End

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that was it… Another emotional rollercoaster. Just remember to always put your seatbelt on… Hmm. Okay, so this was the first sequel, more might follow in the future but for now I am focusing on other fics. Suggestions are, as always, very welcome.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't have a beta, so any mistakes are my own. I always appreciate feedback and/or constructive criticism or just a comment to let me know why you (don't) like it


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